PRODUCTION OF NUCLEIC ACID-RELATED SUBSTANCES BY FERMENTATIVE PROCESSES. V. ACCUMULATION OF INOSINIC ACID BY AN ADENINE-AUXOTROPH OF MICROCOCCUS GLUTAMICUS

Abstract

An adenine auxotroph of glutamic acid-producing bacterium, Micrococcus glutamicus No. 534-348, accumulated 5′-inosinic acid in culture media. Inosine was scarcely detected although a small amount of hypoxanthine accumulated simultaneously. The growth of the mutant responded specifically to adenine and its derivatives. Adenine, adenosine, adenylic acid and adenosine triphosphate were effective in this order in supporting the growth of the mutant.
High concentrations of adenine inhibited the accumulation of inosinic acid. Abundant accumulation of inosinic acid occurred in the media containing sufficient concentrations of biotin and suboptimal concentrations of adenine for the growth of the microorganism. Considerable accumulation of glutamic acid occurred by limiting the concentration of adenine, even at concentrations of biotin high enough to suppress the glutamic acid accumulation by the parent culture.
Accumulation of inosinic acid progressed with the growth of the bacterium and further accumulation occurred even after the growth had essentially been completed.