Spirochete MA-2, which is anaerobic, ferments glucose, forming acetate as a major product. The spirochete also ferments (but does not utilize as growth substrates) small amounts of
l
-leucine,
l
-isoleucine, and
l
-valine, forming the branched-chain fatty acids isovalerate, 2-methylbutyrate, and isobutyrate, respectively, as end products. Energy generated through the fermentation of these amino acids is utilized to prolong cell survival under conditions of growth substrate starvation. A branched-chain fatty acid kinase and two acetate kinase isozymes were resolved from spirochete MA-2 cell extracts. Kinase activity was followed by measuring the formation of acyl phosphate from fatty acid and ATP. The branched-chain fatty acid kinase was active with isobutyrate, 2-methylbutyrate, isovalerate, butyrate, valerate, or propionate as a substrate but not with acetate as a substrate. The acetate kinase isozymes were active with acetate and propionate as substrates but not with longer-chain fatty acids as substrates. The acetate kinase isozymes and the branched-chain fatty acid kinase differed in nucleoside triphosphate and cation specificities. Each acetate kinase isozyme had an apparent molecular weight of approximately 125,000, whereas the branched-chain fatty acid kinase had a molecular weight of approximately 76,000. These results show that spirochete MA-2 synthesizes a branched-chain fatty acid kinase specific for leucine, isoleucine, and valine fermentation. It is likely that a phosphate branched-chain amino acids is also synthesized by spirochete MA-2. Thus, in spirochete MA-2, physiological mechanisms have evolved which serve specifically to generate maintenance energy from branched-chain amino acids.
Spirochete MA-2是一种厌氧菌,通过发酵葡萄糖生成醋酸作为主要产物。此菌也会发酵(但不利用作为生长基质的)少量L-亮氨酸、L-异亮氨酸和L-缬氨酸,分别生成支链脂肪酸异戊酸、2-甲基丁酸和异丁酸作为终产物。通过这些氨基酸的发酵产生的能量被利用来延长细胞在生长基质匮乏的条件下的存活。从Spirochete MA-2细胞提取物中分离出支链脂肪酸激酶和两个醋酸激酶同工酶。通过测量脂肪酸和ATP生成酰磷酸的形成来跟踪激酶活性。支链脂肪酸激酶能够使用异丁酸、2-甲基丁酸、异戊酸、丁酸、戊酸或丙酸作为底物,但不能使用醋酸作为底物。醋酸激酶同工酶能够使用醋酸和丙酸作为底物,但不能使用长链脂肪酸作为底物。醋酸激酶同工酶和支链脂肪酸激酶在核苷酸三磷酸盐和阳离子特异性方面存在差异。每个醋酸激酶同工酶的表观分子量约为125,000,而支链脂肪酸激酶的分子量约为76,000。这些结果表明,Spirochete MA-2合成了一种特异于亮氨酸、异亮氨酸和缬氨酸发酵的支链脂肪酸激酶。很可能Spirochete MA-2也合成了一种磷酸支链氨基酸。因此,在Spirochete MA-2中,进化出了特定的生理机制,以从支链氨基酸中产生维持能量。