Utilization of Gluconate and Glucose in Growing and Virus-infected Escherichia coli

Abstract

WE have described various enzymes in E. coli participating in an oxidative pathway of glucose-6-phosphate degradation via 6-phosphogluconate to pentose-5-phosphate and then to triose phosphate. Recently, we have found the specific adaptive transphosphorylases, gluconokinase¹, D-arabinokinase², and ribokinase² in E. coli which permit the insertion of the homologous substrates into this pathway. The Embden–Meyerhof pathway of anaerobic triose formation also exists in these bacteria. These relationships are presented in the accompanying chart.