CONVERSION OF CITRULLINE TO ORNITHINE BY PLEUROPNEUMONIALIKE ORGANISMS

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Abstract
Pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLO) of human origin carry out a phosphorolysis of citrulline giving rise to ornithine and ATP. Carbamyl phosphate was the phosphorylated intermediate. No accumulation of this intermediate was noted. Mg++ inhibited the reaction strongly. Equilibrium of the reaction was determined and found to be governed by the accumulation of ornithine. Reversal of the reaction, i.e., the synthesis of citrulline, was demonstrable only when carbamyl phosphate was present. Optimum activity for both forward and reverse reactions was obtained at pH 5.5. Although significant turnover of inorganic phosphate occurred in the present of catalytic amounts of ADP, the significance of the reaction for supplying energy for PPLO is dependent upon the removal of the formed ornithine from the environment.