Carbohydrate Metasbolism in Bacillus brevis ATCC 9999

Abstract

Bacillus brevis ATCC 9999, which produces gramicidin S, was found to be unable to ferment various carbohydrates such as glucose, galactose, mannose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, and mannitol. This defect in carbohydrate utilization was attributed to the lack of the transport system (s) for various carbohydrates. This organism can take up only fructose and glycerol and form acids. The presence in this organism of the phosphoenolpyruvate: sugar phosphotransferase system for fructose, but not glycerol, as well as kinases for fructose and glycerol was demonstrated.