Isoleucine synthesis by Clostridium sporogenes from propionate or alpha-methylbutyrate.

Preliminary studies demonstrated that Clostridium sporogenes synthesized isoleucine by a pathway not involving threonine or threonine dehydratase. Radiotracer experiments with cells grown in a defined carbohydrate-free medium showed that radioactivity from [U-14C]serine, [3-14C]pyruvate, [14C]NaHCO3 and [1-], [2-] and [3-14C]propionate was incorporated into isoleucine. Conversely, there was no detectable incorporation of 14C into isoleucine during growth with [U-14C]glutamate, [U-14C]threonine, [U-14C]valine, [U-14C]leucine or [U-14C]methionine.

Interconversion of valine and leucine by Clostridium sporogenes.

Clostridium sporogenes has been found to require L-leucine and L-valine for growth in a minimal medium, although valine can be replaced by isobutyrate and leucine by isovalerate. Cells grown in minimal media incorporated significant 14C from [14C]valine into leucine and from [14C]leucine into valine. Growth with [4,5-3H]leucine also resulted in the incorporation of 3H into valine.

Purification and partial characterization of proline dehydrogenase from Clostridium sporogenes.

A proline dehydrogenase which catalyzes the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) dependent oxidation of proline and the NADH-dependent reduction of delta 1-pyrroline 5-carboxylic acid (PCA) was purified from extracts of Clostridium sporogenes. Following purification, only one protein band was found on analytical polyacrylamide disc gels and on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) - polyacrylamide disc gels. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation and SDS-gel electrophoresis indicated that the enzyme has a molecular weight of approximately 217 000 and consists of two subunits of equal size.

Molds in brined cucumbers: cause of softening during air-purging of fermentations.

Softening of cucumbers in fermentations purged at high air-flow rates was caused by molds growing in the brined cucumbers, not in the brine. This conclusion is based on the following results: (i) no microorganisms were isolated in significant numbers from brines that caused softening of pasteurized brined cucumbers, (ii) no pectinolytic enzyme activities were produced in cucumber brines in the absence of cucumbers, (iii) the pickles in some air-purged fermentations became very soft without the appearance of any pectinolytic enzyme activity in the brine, (iv) mold hyphae were consistently observed in tissues of soft pickles, (v) molds consistently developed in cultures of slices of surface sterilized cucumbers taken from fermentations in which soft pickles were subsequently found, and (vi) molds belonging to the genera Alternaria, Fusarium, and Mucor isolated from slices all softened pasteurized brined cucumbers.

Identity of proline dehydrogenase and delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid reductase in Clostridium sporogenes.

Proline dehydrogenase and delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (PCA) reductase activities were copurified 60- and 130-fold, respectively, from extracts of Clostridium sporogenes. The primary change in the ratio of activites was the result of a loss of proline dehydrogenase activity during dialysis. Both activities were eluted in single peaks from diethylaminoethyl-cellulose, hydroxylapatite, and Sephadex G-200 columns.