Different mechanisms of acetate activation in Desulfurella acetivorans and Desulfuromonas acetoxidans

Abstract

Desulfurella acetivorans and Desulfuromonas acetoxidans are both acetate oxidizing sulfur reducing eubacteria. The two organisms differ in G+C content of DNA (31.4% versus 50–52%) and in growth temperature optimum (55°C versus 30°C) and in that D. acetivorans does not contain cytochromes. Both organisms are shown to be similar in that they metabolize acetate via the citric acid cycle rather than via the carbon monoxide dehydrogenase pathway. They were found to differ, however, in the mechanism of acetate activation and of succinate formation. In D. acetoxidans acetyl-CoA and succinate are formed from acetate and succinyl-CoA involving only one enzyme, succinyl-CoA: acetate CoA-transferase. In D. acetivorans acetyl-CoA is generated from acetate via acetyl phosphate involving acetate kinase and phosphate acetyltransferase; succinate is formed from succinyl-CoA via succinyl-CoA synthetase. Both sulfur reducers were found to contain menaquinone.