Simultaneous Operation of Three Catabolic Pathways in the Metabolism of Glucose by Thiobacillus A2

Enzymes essential to the operation of the Embden-Meyerhof glycolytic pathway, the Entner-Duodoroff pathway and oxidative pentose phosphate pathway were present in Thiobacillus A2 grown on glucose and other sugars. Radiorespirometry under various conditions with Thiobacillus A2 oxidising glucose specifically labelled with 14C in carbon atoms 1, 2, 3, 3 + 4, 6 or universally labelled demonstrated the simultaneous operation of the Embden-Meyerhof (48%), Entner-Doudoroff (28%), and pentose phosphate (24%) pathways in release of carbon dioxide from glucose. Growth on succinate, or autotrophically on formate or thiosulphate resulted in repression of most enzymes of the pathways, but high aldolase levels were retained indicating its role in gluconeogenesis and the Calvin cycle. Different fructose diphosphatase activities were found in succinate- and thiosulphate-grown organisms. The results indicate that all three major catabolic pathways for glucose function in Thiobacillus A2 grown on sugars. Thiobacillus acidophilus showed a different radiorespirometric pattern and apparently used the Entner-Duodoroff (64.5%) and pentose phosphate (35.5%) pathways, but showed unusually high release of carbon atom 6, as was also found for T. ferrooxidans.