1. Using
Rhodopseudomonas palustris as material, investigations were made of the aerobic metabolism, in light and darkness, of α-ketoglutaric, succinic, fumaric and malic acids.
2. The molar amounts of oxygen taken up for one mole of each substrate consumed were found to be as follows:
In light: α-ketoglutaric, 1.13; succinic, 0.73; malic, 0.45.
In dark: α-ketoglutaric, 1.51; scccinic, 1.45; malic, 0.92.
3. Experiments with uniformly-C
14-la-beled fumarate and succinate showed that the distribution of their four carbons in cell material and in carbon dioxide evolved was modified by light-and-dark conditions as follows:
In light: 1.5 atoms per mole in CO
2, 2.5 atoms per mole in cell material.
In dark: 2.5 atoms per mole in CO
2, 1.5 atoms per mole in cell material.
4. Using 1, 4-C
14-labeled succinate as sub-strate, it was revealed that the two carboxyl-C
14 were distributed to cell material and carbon dioxide evolved in the following ratio:
In light: 1.5 atoms per mole in CO
2, 0.5 atoms per mole in cell material.
In dark: 1.9 atoms per mole in CO
2, 0.1 atom per mole in cell material.
5. In the light, and when potassium hydroxide was applied as carbon dioxide absorber, the efficiency of incorporation of substrate (succinate) carbon into cell material was the same as that in the presence of sufficient amounts of non-labeled carbon dioxide in the reaction mixture, indicating that in the presence of the carbon dioxide absorber, the respiratory C
14O
2 produced from the substrate is not assimilated photosynthe-tically.
6. Based on the present data and those obtained earlier with pyruvate, the following sequence of reactions was assumed for the metabolism of the organic acids in
Rhodopseudomonas palustris.
It is a pleasure for the author to express his thanks to Prof. H. Tamiya for his continuous guidance and keen interest throughout this work. His thanks are also due to Prof. A. Takamiya for helpful advice and kind suggestions. The author is also indebted to Dr. H. Takahashi and Dr. S. Kat: oh for their help to prepare the radioactive compounds.
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