RESPIRATION OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS, STRAIN BCG, IN THE PRESENCE OF SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACIDS

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Abstract
Rates of oxygen consumption by washed suspensions of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, var. bovis, strain BCG, in the presence of short chain fatty acids and other substrates have been studied. Whereas the presence of acetate, butyrate, and hexanoate leads to increased but constant rates of respiration, that of propionate, pentanoate, and heptanoate leads to increased rates of respiration that diminish markedly with time. Admixture of glucose or glycerol with short chain even-numbered fatty acids gives additive rates of oxygen consumption. Admixture, however, of glucose or glycerol with odd-numbered short chain fatty acids prevents the fall off in respiration and leads to increased and constant rates of oxygen utilization. These effects of glucose or glycerol arc not due to the formation of fumarate or malate or of pyruvate or acetate. Mixtures of odd-numbered and even-numbered short chain fatty acids give rates of respiration which are (with the exception of acetate) those of the odd-numbered fatty acids alone. Acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate resemble the short chain even-numbered fatty acids in this respect.

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