Physiology of sporeforming bacteria associated with insects. I. Glucose catabolism in vegetative cells

Abstract

The catabolic pathways for use of glucose in proliferating vegetative cells of Bacillus thuringiensis, B. alvei, B. lentimorbus, and B. popilliae were studied by radiorespirometry. These organisms dissimilate glucose predominately via the Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas pathway and to a lesser extent by the pentose phosphate pathway. Extent of participation of concurrent pathways varied with each organism. Tentative evidence suggests that B. popilliae and B. lentimorbus, grown in a yeast extract – glucose medium, lack a fully operational tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Dilution of this medium slightly enhanced TCA cycle activity in B. popilliae but had no effect with B. lentimorbus. Radiorespirometric data regarding glutamic acid oxidation also were obtained for each bacterium. All organisms studied except B. lentimorbus were capable of oxidizing glutamic acid to carbon dioxide.