Abstract
Comparative investigations were carried out on the oxidative degradation of glucose by two groups of the genus Envinia. The E. carotovora group was found to accumulate a large amount of α-ketoglutaric acid from glucose (the yield being about 31% on glucose consumed). Pectin, pectic acid and pyruvate were also the good carbon sources for the production of α-ketoglutaric acid by the bacteria. α-Ketoglutaric acid was produced without any accumulation of 2-ketogluconic acid in the course of oxidation of glucose or gluconic acid by the dried cells and cell-free extracts of E. aeroideae (belong to E. carotovora group). On the other hand, the cell-free extracts of E. milletiae (belong to E. amylovora group), oxidized glucose and gluconic acid with an uptake of 1.0 and 0.5 moles oxygen per mole of the substrate, respectively. 2-Ketogluconic acid was the sole product detected at the end of the oxidations by chromatographic analysis.
Cultural and physiological properties of twelve strains belonging to the genus Erwinia were studied comparatively with closely re-lated non-pathogenic bacteria.
