Evidence for the Presence of Certain Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Enzymes in Thiobacillus Thioparus.

Cooper, Robert C. (Michigan State University, East Lansing). Evidence for the presence of certain tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes in Thiobacillus thioparus. J. Bacteriol. 88:624-629. 1964.-Various tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes appear to be present in Thiobacillus thioparus. Cell-free extracts of T. thioparus were active for a number of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes, including aconitase, isocitric dehydrogenase, and malic dehydrogenase. Tests for the presence of fumarase and the condensing enzyme, citrogenase, were inconclusive. Citrate was shown to be active in the metabolism of T. thioparus, but the actual mechanism involved in its formation was not clear. The enzyme, isocitratase, appeared to be absent. Evidence for the presence of succinic dehydrogenase was found in experiments with whole cells. From these results, it would appear that T. thioparus has a terminal respiration pathway similar to that found in many heterotrophic microorganisms.