METABOLISM OF ALLOXANIC ACID IN A SOIL MICROORGANISM

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Abstract
Alloxanic acid, a product of the spontaneous rearrangement of the diabetogenic pyrimidine alloxan, serves as a sole source of C, N, and energy for the growth of a bacterium obtained by soil enrichment technique. The bacterium has an inducible pathway for the catabolism of alloxanate. The primary attack is by a specific alloxanic decarbox-ylase which has been partially purified and has a QCO2(N) of 12,000. The suggested decarboxylation product, 5-hydroxyhydantoin, is split to form glyoxylate and urea. Uric acid is converted to glyoxylate and urea by way of allantoin and allantoic acid No evidence was obtained to support the hypothesis that uric acid might be metabolized via alloxan. Knowledge of the route established for the catabolism of alloxanic acid should assist in evaluating this hypothesis with respect to other potential precursors of alloxan.