The oxidation of glutamic acid by Brucella abortus.

The oxidation of glutamic acid by avirulent strains of Brucella abortus is the most rapid respiratory process thus far studied in this species (Gerhardt et al., 1950a). Furthermore, glutamic acid will serve as the sole source of both carbon and nitrogen for all strains of B. abortus which have been tested (Gerhardt et al., 1950b). Glutamic acid is important in the synthesis of other amino acids by transamination (Altenbern and Housewright, 1951), and the evidence thus far indicates that the reductive amination of a-ketoglutaric acid to glutamic acid may be the chief means of amino group synthesis. The purpose of this study was to determine the products of the oxidation of glutamic acid and to investigate the intermediate steps.