Sources of energy and the dinitrophenol effect in the growth of Acetobacter suboxydans.

In resting Acetobacter suboxydans cells, glycerol can be oxidized beyond the dihydroxyacetone stage, and sorbitol, beyond the sorbose stage (King and Cheldelin, 1952a). 2 ,4-Dinitrophenol inhibits the further oxidation of dihydroxyacetone or sorbose but has no effect upon the first step oxidations (King and Cheldelin, 1952b). Since these keto derivatives can be metabolized further by resting cells, their potentialities as energy sources for growth were studied. The facts described herein suggest that the growth of the organism depends only upon the energy from the first step oxidations. 2,4Dinitrophenol at concentrations completely inhibitory to the oxidation of dihydroxyacetone or sorbose did not exert any effect on growth.