Function of malate synthetase and isocitritase in the growth of bacteria on two-carbon compounds.

Reeves, Henry C. (Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa.) and Samuel J. Ajl. Function of malate synthetase and isocitritase in the growth of bacteria on two-carbon compounds. J. Bacteriol. 83:597-601. 1962.-Escherichia coli, grown in a glucose-citrate medium under anaerobic conditions, is devoid of the enzymes malate synthetase and isocitritase. It has been demonstrated that the adaptation of such cells to aerobic growth in a medium containing acetate as the sole carbon source involves at least two separate events. The first appears to be an adaptation which permits the oxidative dissimilation of acetate and involves primarily the synthesis of condensing enzyme. The second, which also precedes all division, is the synthesis of isocitritase and malate synthetase. Finally, a definite correlation has been found to exist between the synthesis of isocitritase and malate synthetase and the lag period prior to cell proliferation.