THE INTERMEDIATE METABOLISM OFPSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA: IV. THE ABSENCE OF AN EMBDEN–MEYERHOF SYSTEM AS EVIDENCED BY PHOSPHORUS DISTRIBUTION

Abstract

The acid soluble phosphorus fraction of cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa harvested from a glucose medium was found to consist mainly of difficultly hydrolyzable compounds. None of the fractions contained reducing compounds even after 12 hr. hydrolysis with normal hydrochloric acid nor could fructose be detected. It could therefore be concluded that glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, and hexose diphosphate were absent. Analysis of a glucose solution that had been metabolized by cells of this organism under conditions of fluoride inhibition confirmed the analysis of the cellular material. The lack of normal intermediates of the Embden–Meyerhof scheme is discussed in relation to the gluconic acid, 2-ketogluconic acid pathway of glucose oxidation.