Twenty-nine arginine auxotrophs of Proteus mirabilis strain 13 have been divided into eight groups which represent different biochemical blocks in the arginine biosynthetic pathway. The mutants were classified according to their growth requirements, syntrophism, accumulation of intermediates and enzyme deficiencies. The steps in the pathway are the same as those of Escherichia coli although mutants will not utilize N-α-acetyl-l-ornithine or N-acetyl-l-glutamate. However, these two substances were shown to be intermediates. Ornithine is synthesized via the linear route common to entero-bacteria and not by transacetylation between N-α-acetyl-l-ornithine and l-glutamate as in some other bacteria and yeasts.
BaichA.,
VogelH. J.1962; N-Acetyl-γ-glutamokinase and N-acetylglutamic-γ-semialdebyde dehydrogenase: Repressible enzymes of arginine synthesis in Escherichia coli. Biochem. biophys. Res. Comm 7:491
BeinertH.,
GreenD. E.,
HeleP.,
HiftH.,
von KorffR. W.,
RamakrishnanC. V.1953; The acetate activating enzyme system of heart muscle. J. biol. Chem 203:35
GoriniL.,
GundersenW.,
BurgerM.1961; Genetics of regulation of enzyme synthesis in the arginine biosynthetic pathway of Escherichia coli. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol26173McElroyW. D.,
GlassB.469 Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press;
NovickR. P.,
MaasW. K.1961; Control by endogenously synthesized arginine of the formation of ornithine transcarbamylase in Escherichia coli. J. Bact 81:236
SrbA. M.,
FinchamJ. R. S.,
BonnerD.1950; Evidence from gene mutations in Neurospora for close metabolic relationships among ornithine, proline and α-amino-∂-hydroxyvaleric acid. Am. J. Bot 37:533
UdakaS.,
KinoshitaS.1958; Studies on l-ornithine fermentation. I. The biosynthetic pathway of l-ornithine in Micrococcus glutamicus. J. gen. appl. Microbiol 4:272
VogelH. J.1961; Aspects of repression in the regulation of enzyme synthesis: Pathway-wide control and enzyme-specific response. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol 26:163
VogelH. J.,
BaconD. F.1966; Gene aggregation: Evidence for a coming together of functionally related not closely linked genes. Proc. natn. Acad. SciU.S.A551456