title: A novel fermentation pathway in an Escherichia coli mutant producing succinic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol.
abstract: Escherichia coli strain NZN111, which is unable to grow fermentatively because of insertional inactivation of the genes encoding pyruvate: formate lyase and the fermentative lactate dehydrogenase, gave rise spontaneously to a chromosomal mutation that restored its ability to ferment glucose. The mutant strain, named AFP111, fermented glucose more slowly than did its wild-type ancestor, strain W1485, and generated a very different spectrum of products. AFP111 produced succinic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol in proportions of approx 2:1:1. Calculations of carbon and electron balances accounted fully for the observed products; 1 mol of glucose was converted to 1 mol of succinic acid and 0.5 mol each of acetic acid and ethanol. The data support the emergence in E. coli of a novel succinic acid:acetic acid:ethanol fermentation pathway.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Research Division, Argonne National Laboratory IL 60439, USA.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Millard
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Rathke
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D019802:Succinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D000431:Ethanol; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D019802:Succinic Acid; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D005947:Glucose; D019342:Acetic Acid