The assimilation of amino acids by bacteria. 23. Accumulation of free glutamic acid within Staphylococcus aureus incubated with derivatives of glutamic acid

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Abstract
Free glutamic acid accumulates within S. aureus incubated in the presence of N-phosphoryl-L-glutamic acid or diethyl glutamate. Free glutamic acid does not accumulate within cells incubated with peptides containing glutamic acid residues unless glucose is also present. The rate of accumulation is higher when incubation takes place with [alpha]-glutamyl peptides than with gamma-glutamyl peptides and is effected by the rate of hydrolysis of the peptide within the cell and also by the partition coefficient of the peptide between n-butanol and water. When S. aureus is incubated with glucose and di- or tri-peptides containing a-glutamyl residues, the rate of accumulation of free glutamic acid within the cells can be correlated with the product of the rate of hydrolysis and the partition coefficient between butanol and water. Accumulation of free glutamic acid in all cases studied is inhibited by sodium azide and 2:4-dinitrophenol.