REQUIREMENT OF AN ALKALINE pH AND AMMONIA FOR SUBSTRATE OXIDATION BYBACILLUS PASTEURII

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Abstract
Wiley, W. R. (Washington State University, Pullman)and J. L. Stokes. Requirement of an alkaline pH and ammonia for substrate oxidation byBacillus pasteurii. J. Bacteriol.84:730–734. 1962—Resting-cell suspensions ofBacillus paseuriirequire a pH higher than 8.0 and also NH4+for the oxidation of glycine, alanine, serine, glutamic acid, other amino acids, and compounds of the Krebs cycle. The optimal pH is 9.2. Maximal activity was obtained with 0.5% (NH4)2SO4, the highest concentration tested. NH4+can be supplied by a number of inorganic and organic ammonium salts. The effect of NH4+is fairly specific. It cannot be replaced by Na+, Cs+, and Mg++, and only partially replaced by Li+, K+, Rb+, and Ca++. Some possible metabolic functions of the required alkaline pH and NH4+are discussed.