Metabolic control in Acinetobacter sp. I. Effect of C4 versus C2 and C3 substrates on isocitrate lyase synthesis.

Abstract

The comparative effects of various substrates serving as sole carbon and energy source or as a supplemental nutrient on the synthesis of isocitrate lyase by a species of Acinetobacter have been investigated. Previous work has shown that succinate, as carbon source, allows some late, limited induction of enzyme synthesis. No increase in synthesis is seen above the basal level, however, in cultures growing in a medium containing L-malate as a sole carbon source. The addition of acetate to cultures growing in media containing either of the C4 intermediates results in rapid enzyme induction. Further, Acinetobacter grows very well in pyruvate medium and isocitrate lyase is synthesized to a significant extent, indicating that the glyoxylate cycle is acting anaplerotically under these conditions. Phosphoenolpyruvate synthetase activity has been demonstrated in this organism; levels comparable to those observed in Escherichia coli have been detected; the levels of NAD- and NADP-linked "malic enzyme" and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, enzymes functioning in C4 to C3 conversion, do not fluctuate with the various carbon sources tested; i.e. no correlation between the in vitro specific activity of these enzymes and the levels of isocitrate lyase activity may be made. All of the data are consistent with the hypothesis that, in this aerobic organism, as opposed to the facultative E. coli, the C4 intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle may be more direct "coarse" control metabolites regulating the rate of the glyoxylate cycle.