End Products of Glucose Fermentation by Brochothrix thermosphacta.
Anaerobically, Brochothrix thermosphacta fermented glucose primarily to l-lactate, acetate, formate, and ethanol. The ratio of these end products varied with growth conditions. Both the presence of acetate and formate and a pH below about 6 increased l-lactate production from glucose. Small amounts of butane-2,3-diol were also produced when the pH of the culture was low (</=5.5) or when acetate was added to the growth medium. Radioactive label from [1-C]acetate was incorporated into ethanol and l-lactate, implying reversibility of pyruvate-formate lyase. In crude extracts, the following enzymes involved in pyruvate metabolism were demonstrated: lactate dehydrogenase, phosphotransacetylase, acetate kinase, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (coenzyme A acetylating), ethanol dehydrogenase, pH 6 acetolactate-forming enzyme, and diacetyl (acetoin) reductase. The lactate dehydrogenase did not require fructose-1,6-disphosphate or Mn for activity.
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Meat Research Laboratory, Division of Food Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Cannon Hill, Queenland 4170, Australia.