Abstract
Four Gram-positive bacteria have been isolated from separate soil samples by enrichment culture with acetone as sole source of carbon. Whole cells of all strains grown on acetone rapidly oxidized acetone, acetol and methylglyoxal, and three of the four also oxidized isopropanol. The patterns of induced enzymes in cell extracts are compatible with the oxidation sequence: isopropanol → acetone → acetol → methylglyoxal → pyruvate. Although an enzyme system capable of converting acetone into acetol has not been detected, the inclusion of acetol in the pathway is supported by the results of studies with whole cells and [14C]acetone. The proposed pathway of acetone metabolism is contrasted with evidence for an alternative, but not fully understood, pathway used by Mycobacterium vaccae JOB5.
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