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The genes encoding an oxygen-labile stereospecific L-tartrate dehydratase (L-Ttd, EC 4.2.1.32) have been identified as the orfZ1 and orfZ2 genes located upstream of the rpsU-dnaG-rpoD operon at 67 min in the Escherichia coli linkage map. They were previously cloned and sequenced by M. Nesin and others (Gene 51, 149-161, 1987) and have now been independently cloned, partially resequenced, and designated as an operon (ttdAB) containing two translationally coupled genes. The enzyme behaves as a tetramer (M(r) 105,000) containing two pairs of non-identical subunits, TtdA (M(r) 32589) and TtdB (M(r) 22641), which otherwise resembles the homodimeric iron-sulphur-containing Class I fumarases of E. coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus. The amino acid sequences of the TtdA-TtdB subunits are colinearly related to a single fumarase subunit, indicating a common evolutionary ancestry. E. coli can use L-, D- and meso-tartrates as aerobic growth substrates and as reducible substrates for supporting anaerobic growth on glycerol. L-Ttd was induced during anaerobic growth on glycerol plus L- and meso-tartrates, and a stereospecific D-tartrate dehydratase was induced by all three stereoisomers under comparable conditions. No meso-tartrate dehydratase was detected, nor were any dehydratases detected after aerobic growth on tartrate minimal media suggesting that different catabolic routes operate under aerobic conditions.

The gene (fumABst) encoding an oxygen-labile fumarase of Bacillus stearothermophilus has been cloned and sequenced. The structural gene (1542 bp) encodes a product (FumABst) of M(r) 56,788 containing 514 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence is 23% identical (37% similar) to FumA and FumB, the labile [4Fe-4S]-containing fumarases (Class I enzymes) of Escherichia coli. It exhibits no significant similarity to FumC and CitG, the stable fumarases (Class II enzymes) of E. coli and Bacillus subtilis (respectively). Enzymological studies indicated that FumABst resembles the iron-sulphur-containing fumarases in being dimeric (M(r) 2 x 58,500), oxygen labile and partially reactivated by Fe2+ plus DTT. The fumABst gene is the first gene encoding a Class I fumarase to be characterized in any organism other than E. coli. Enzymological and DNA-hybridization studies further indicated that B. stearothermophilus resembles E. coli in containing an oxygen-stable fumarase (Class II enzyme). Sequence comparisons revealed significant similarities between the Class I fumarases and the products of adjacent open-reading frames (orfZ1 and orfZ2) located upstream of the macromolecular synthesis operon (rpsU-dnaG-rpoD) at 67 min in the E.coli linkage map. Located downstream of fumABst, there is an unidentified gene (orf2), which is homologous to the rhizobial nodB genes involved in the initiation of root nodule formation.

The aconitase of Escherichia coli was purified to homogeneity, albeit in low yield (0.6%). It was shown to be a monomeric protein of Mr 95,000 or 97,500 by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE analysis, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence resembled that of the Bacillus subtilis enzyme (citB product), but the similarity at the DNA level was insufficient to allow detection of the E. coli acn gene using a 456 bp citB probe. Phages containing the acn gene were isolated from a lambda-E. coli gene bank by immunoscreening with an antiserum raised against purified bacterial enzyme. The acn gene was located at 28 min (1350 kb) in the physical map of the E. coli chromosome by probing Southern blots with a fragment of the gene. Attempts to locate the gene using the same procedure with oligonucleotide probes encoding segments of the N-terminal amino acid sequence were complicated by the lack of probe specificity and an inaccuracy in the physical map of Kohara et al. (Cell 50, 495-508, 1987). Aconitase specific activity was amplified some 20-200-fold in cultures transformed with pGS447, a derivative of pUC119 containing the acn gene, and an apparent four-fold activation-deactivation of the phagemid-encoded enzyme was observed in late exponential phase. The aconitase antiserum cross-reacted with both the porcine and Salmonella typhimurium (Mr 120,000) enzymes.

The coding characteristics of four plasmids expressing a protein (BCP) which comigrates with bacterioferritin were examined and the nucleotide sequence of a common 1985 bp segment from the 53 min region of the Escherichia coli linkage map was determined. Three open reading-frames (orf1, orf2 and orf3) were detected, and orf2 (bcp, 156 amino acid codons) appeared to encode the bacterioferritin comigratory protein, BCP. The translation product of orf3 (205 amino acid codons) resembled the iron-sulphur protein component (DMS B subunit) of the anaerobic dimethylsulphoxide reductase complex of E. coli.

Vitamin auxotrophs of Escherichia coli grown in the presence or absence of the corresponding vitamin were used as substrates for the growth of Dictyostelium discoideum strain Ax-2 in order to investigate some of the growth-factor requirements of this cellular slime mould. Compared with the growth yields observed on vitamin-sufficient auxotrophs and on a prototroph, the yields on lipoate-, folate-, thiamin- or biotin-depleted auxotrophs were low but could be restored by the addition of exogenous vitamin to the slime mould cultures. It is concluded that these four vitamins are essential nutrients for D. discoideum. Similar experiments with other auxotrophs were inconclusive, indicating either that the slime mould does not require pantothenate, nicotinate or vitamin B6 or that the strains of E. coli were insufficiently depleted to detect such requirements. It is also concluded that cobalamin is not an essential nutrient, since the myxamoebae grew well with E. coli which lacks this vitamin when grown in cobalamin-free media. Similar arguments suggest that ubiquinone and vitamin K are also non-essential.

Lipoic acid (lip) and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (sucA) mutants of Escherichia coli K12 exhibit a requirement for exogenous succinate during aerobic growth on glucose minimal medium. Reversion studies have shown that this requirement can be suppressed by gal-linked mutations which inactivate succinate dehydrogenase. Biochemical and genetic studies confirmed that the succinate dehydrogenase gene (sdh) is affected and that suppression is mediated by the same intergenic and indirect mechanism that generates succinate independence in partial revertants of lipoamide dehydrogenase mutants (Creaghan & Guest, 1977). A series of isogenic strains containing all combinations of mutations affecting 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (sucA), succinate dehydrogenase (sdh), isocitrate lyase (aceA) and fumarate reductase (frd) in a background lacking succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, was constructed to assess the importance of these enzymes as sources of endogenous succinate (succinyl-CoA) during aerobic and anaerobic growth on glucose. Only strains combining a deficiency in 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase with the presence of an active succinate dehydrogenase required succinate for aerobic growth. In all mutants, including the triple mutant (frd sucA aceA), the succinate requirement was suppressed by inactivating succinate dehydrogenase. The aerobic growth rates of succinate-independent strains were most affected by lack of isocitrate lyase but only two mutants (sdh sucA aceA and frd sdh sucA aceA) grew faster with added succinate: the growth yields were lowered by deficiencies in isocitrate lyase and also succinate dehydrogenase. It is concluded that very little succinate is needed for biosynthesis during aerobic growth on glucose and the requirement for relatively high concentrations of succinate (2 mM) by mutants lacking 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase or related functions stems from the presence of active succinate dehydrogenase. Anaerobically, either isocitrate lyase or fumarate reductase is essential for succinate-independent growth on glucose.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PACI grows poorly on L-lysine as sole source of carbon but mutant derivatives which grow rapidly were readily isolated. Studies with one such mutant, P. aeruginosa PAC586, supported the existence of a route for L-lysine catabolism which differes from those reported previously in other species of Pseudomonas. The postulated route, the cadaverine or decarboxylase pathway, is initiated by the decarboxylation of L-lysine and involves the following steps: L-lysine leads to cadverine leads to I-piperideine leads 5-aminovalerate leads to glutarate semialdehyde leads glutarate. Evidence for this pathway is based on the characterization of the pathway reactions and the induction of the corresponding enzymes by growth on L-lysine. The first three enzymes were also induced by growth on cadaverine and to a lesser extent by 5-aminovalerate. No evidence was obtained for the presence of pathways involving L-lysine 2-monooxygenase or L-pipecolate dehydrogenase, but another potential route for L-lysine catabolism initiated by L-lysine 6-aminotransferase was detected. Studies with mutants unable to grow on L-lysine supported the existence of more than one catabolic pathway for L-lysine in this organism and indicated that all routes converge on a pathway for glutarate catabolism which generates acetyl-CoA. Pipecolate catabolism also appeared to converge on the glutarate pathway in P. AERUGINOSA. The results suggested that the growth rate of the parental strain is limited by the rate of transport and/or decarboxylation of L-lysine. The cadaverine pathway was present, but not so highly induced, in the parental strain P. aeruginosa PACI. Pseudomonas fluorescens contained enzymes of both the cadaverine (decarboxylase) and oxygenase pathways, strains of P. putida (biotypes A and B) contained enzymes of the oxygenase pathway but not the decarboxylase pathway and P. multivorans appeared deficient in both. All these species possessed L-lysine aminotransferase activity.

The aspartase gene (aspA) of Escherichia coli has been isolated in two plasmids, pGS73 and pGS94, which contain segments of bacterial DNA (12.5 and 2.8 kb, respectively) inserted into the tet gene of the vector pBR322. The plasmids were constructed by sequential sub-cloning from a larger ColE1-frd+ hybrid plasmid. The location of the aspA gene confirmed predictions based on a correlation between the genetic and restriction maps of the corresponding region. The aspartase activities of plasmid-containing aspA mutants were amplified four- to sixfold relative to aspA+ parental strains. The aspA gene product was tentatively identified as a polypeptide of Mr 55 000, which is somewhat larger than previous estimates (Mr 45000 to 48000) for aspartase.

Twenty-eight spontaneous auxotrophic aroP mutants with deletions in the azi--nadC--aroP--aceE--aceF--lpd region of the Escherichia coli K12 chromosome were characterized genetically with respect to various azi, nadC, ace and lpd markers by P1-mediated transduction. One mutant (Kdelta18; aroP--lpddelta) had a deletion which extended through the aceE and aceF genes to end within the lpd gene. The polarity of the ace operon (aceE to aceF) was confirmed. It was concluded that 10 out of 15 deletions generating a strict requirement for acetate terminated in the aceE gene. Of the ten, three mutants (Kdelta22, Cdelta41 and Cdelta41) synthesized detectable dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (the aceF gene product) and seven were assumed to possess deletions generating polar effects on aceF gene expression. Five deletions appeared to extend into the aceF gene. A further five deletions, which limited the expression of the ace operon without generating an Ace- phenotype or a complete Ace- phenotype, ended closest to the aroP-proximal aceE markers. The opposite ends of all these deletions appeared to terminate before (10), within (2) or extend beyond (9) the nadC gene. There was no obvious correlation between the deletion end-points and the corresponding lipoamide dehydrogenase activities, which ranged from 30 to 95% of parental levels in different deletion strains. The remaining seven deletions simply extended between the aroP and nadC genes (nad--aroPdelta) without affecting expression of the ace operon. Regulation of the synthesis of the pyruvate and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes was investigated in some of the parental and deletion strains under different physiological conditions including thiamin-deprivation. The results indicate that the syntheses of the two dehydrogenase complexes are independently regulated. Expression of the lpd gene appears to be coupled to complex synthesis but can be dissociated under some conditions. Mechanisms for regulating lpd gene expression are discussed and an autogenous mechanism involving uncomplexed lipoamide dehydrogenase functioning as a negatively acting repressor at the operator site of an independent lpd gene is proposed as the simplest mechanism which is consistent with all available information.

Phages capable of transducing succinate dehydrogenase mutants (sdh) of Escherichia coli were isolated from pools of artificially constructed recombinant lambda phages using a selective casein digest medium. These phages produced characteristically dense turbid plaques, and as prophages they increased the aerobic growth efficiencies of sdh mutants on complex media but were unable to promote growth with succinate as sole carbon and energy source (an essential feature of sdh + strains). The phages were identified as fumarate reductase transducing phages (lambda frdA) by the presence of a characteristic 4.9 kilobase pairs R.HindIII fragment of bacterial DNA, the expression of a polypeptide with a relative molecular mass of 72,000 (the frdA gene product) and by comparing their transducing activities with authentic lambda frdA phages. In parallel studies a strain containing a ColE1-frd hybrid plasmid (pGS1 = pLC16.43) was characterized. Transfer of pGS1 to sdh mutants was accompanied by increased aerobic growth efficiencies on complex media and the ability to utilize succinate as sole carbon and energy source. It was concluded that fumarate reductase can replace succinate dehydrogenase but the extent of the reversal of the sdh lesion depends on frd gene dosage and the titration of the repressor which normally prevents aerobic synthesis of the reductase.

The fnr gene of Escherichia coli encodes a transcriptional activator (FNR) which is required for the expression of a number of genes involved in anaerobic respiratory pathways. From the study of a translational fusion of fnr to the gene for beta-galactosidase (lacZ) it has been concluded that the fnr gene is expressed under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions and is subject to autoregulation and repression by glucose, particularly during anaerobic growth. These findings imply that during anaerobiosis the FNR protein adopts an active conformation, in which it functions both as a repressor of the fnr gene and as an activator of fnr-dependent genes. Sequences in the 5' non-coding region of fnr which could be involved in autoregulation are discussed. The fnr coding region was cloned into an expression vector which has allowed an amplification of FNR synthesis such that it accounts for about 2% of total cell protein. The ability to over-produce FNR in this way should be very useful for future biochemical studies.

The genes encoding both subunits of the succinyl-CoA synthetase of Escherichia coli have been identified as distal genes of the suc operon, which also encodes the dehydrogenase (Elo; sucA) and succinyltransferase (E2o; sucB) components of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex. The newly defined genes express polypeptides of 41 kDa (sucC) and 31 kDa (sucD), corresponding to the beta and alpha subunits of succinyl-CoA synthetase, respectively. The genes are thus located at 16.8 min in the E. coli linkage map, together with the citrate synthase (gltA) and succinate dehydrogenase (sdh) genes, in a cluster of nine citric acid cycle genes: gltA-sdhCDAB-sucABCD. Four deletion strains lacking all of these citric acid cycle enzymes were characterized. The succinyl-CoA synthetase activities of strains harbouring plasmids containing the sucC and sucD genes were amplified some fourfold. Further enzymological studies indicated that expression of succinyl-CoA synthetase is coordinately regulated with 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase.

The aspartase (L-asparatate ammonia-lyase, EC. 4.3.I.I) structural gene, aspA, was mapped by two-factor and three-factor transductional crosses using phage PI. Cotransduction frequencies between aspA and other markers were: ampA (69%); frdA (48 TO 67%) mel (35%); purA (17%); fdp (I-6%). The sequence of markers within the corresponding segment (91 to 95 min) of the Escherichia coli linkage map was shown to be mel-aspA-ampA-frdA-purA-fdp.

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO was purified by affinity chromatography on ethanol-Sepharose 2B followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The overall purification was 130-fold based on enzyme activity. The purified complex contained three major and one minor polypeptide components when analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These were identified by heat treatment, limited proteolysis and peptide mapping as pyruvate dehydrogenase (El; Mr 92500), acetyltransferases (E2; major component, Mr 76000, and minor component, Mr 77800) and lipoamide dehydrogenase (E3; Mr 58000). The purified complex had a sedimentation coefficient of 48S and the specific activity for the overall reaction of the complex was 6.5 micromol substrate transformed (mg protein)-1 min-1 at the optimum pH (7.8) and 25 degrees C. The lesions in four ace mutants lacking overall pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity were identified after partial purification of the corresponding cell-free extracts. Three strains, designated ace A mutants, lacked pyruvate dehydrogenase activity (E1 component) and one strain, and ace B mutant, lacked the activity of the acetyltransferase (E2 component).

A sample of colonies from the Clarke-Carbon ColE1-Escherichia coli DNA plasmid gene bank was screened by conjugation for complementation of the lipoamide dehydrogenase lesion of a deletion strain lacking all components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, delta (aroP aceE aceF lpd). Two ColE1-lpd+ hybrid plasmids were identified: pGS2 (ColE1-ace lpd+; 24 kb) and pGS5 (ColE1-lpd+; 14 kb). Enzymological studies confirmed that pGS2 expressed all the activities of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, whereas pGS5 expressed the lipoamide dehydrogenase and acetyltransferase activities (the latter from a ColE1 promoter). These and other plasmids were used to construct a 47-site (15 enzymes) restriction map for a 24.2 kb segment of bacterial DNA in the nadC-lpd region. A further 13 sites (six enzymes) were defined in a 5.4 kb sub-segment containing the lpd gene. lambda phage derivatives containing specific fragments were constructed and used in transduction studies which located the ace and lpd genes in a 7.78 kb sub-segment flanked by AccI and NruI sites.

The Clarke-Carbon colony bank containing ColE1-Escherichia coli hybrid plasmids was screened by conjugation for complementation of the citrate synthase lesion of a gltA mutant. Three ColE1-gltA+ plasmids were identified: pLC26-17 (16.3 kilobase pairs), pLC27-18 (16.35 kb) and pLC31-28 (26.0 kb). The citrate synthase activities of strains containing the hybrid plasmids were amplified 3- to 10-fold. Genetic studies indicated that the smaller plasmids may contain at least part of the succinate dehydrogenase gene (sdh). A physical map of a 19.4 kb region of the E. coli chromosome containing the citrate synthase gene (gltA) was constructed by restriction analysis with the isolated plasmids. The relative positions of 20 restriction sites were defined and a region (3.1 kb) containing the gltA+ gene was identified in the segment common to all three plasmids.

The three components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli are encoded by three linked genes, ace E (pyruvate dehydrogenase, E1), aceF (dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, E2) and lpd (lipoamide dehydrogenase, E3, situated close to the nadC (quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase) and aroP (general aromatic amino acid permease) genes with the gene order: nadC-aroP-aceE-aceF-lpd. Several types of transducing phages, lambda nadC and lambda lpd, carrying the nadC and lpd genes were isolated from populations of artificially constructed transducing phages containing R.HindIII or R.EcoRI fragments of bacterial DNA, by selecting for their ability to complement the metabolic lesions of the corresponding mutants. The cloned fragments were extended to include a functional ace operon by in vivo methods involving prophage insertion into the nadC-lpd region and aberrant excision to yield lambda nadC-lpd and lambda lpd-ace phages. These contained overlapping segments of bacterial DNA capable of expressing the aceE, aceF and lpd genes. A physical map of a 20 kilobase pairs (kb) segment of bacterial DNA encoding the entire nadC-lpd region, bounded by R.HindIII and R.EcoRI targets and possessing several internal restriction targets, R.HindIII (3) and R.EcoRI (2), was constructed. Using a combination of nutritional and enzymological studies with dilysogens and genetic analysis with ace mutants the approximate positions of the genes specifying the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex were traced to a 9.5 kb segment of the restriction map. The cloned lpd gene was expressed in the complete absence of a functional ace operon and when the major lambda promoters were repressed. This confirms that the lpd gene can be independently transcribed from its own promoter.

A transcript analysis of the citrate synthase and succinate dehydrogenase genes (gltA-sdhCDAB) of Escherichia coli was done by nuclease S1 mapping. Evidence was obtained for two monocistronic gltA transcripts extending anti-clockwise, to a common terminus, from independent promoters with start points 196 bp (major) and 299 bp (minor) upstream of the gltA coding region. Evidence was also obtained for two polycistronic sdh transcripts, sdhCDAB (minor) and sdhDAB (major), extending clockwise, from sites 219 bp upstream of sdhC and 1455 bp upstream of sdhD (i.e. within sdhC), to a common terminus. The synthesis of all of the transcripts was repressed by growth in the presence of glucose, and this is consistent with the well-established fact that both enzymes are subject to catabolite repression. Sequences resembling known binding sites for the cAMP-CRP (cyclic AMP-cyclicAMP receptor protein) complex occur in the vicinity of each promoter suggesting that they are activated by the cAMP-CRP complex.

Mutants of Escherichia coli K12 strain WGAS-GF+/LF+ were selected for their inability to use fumarate as terminal electron acceptor for supporting growth on glycerol or lactate in an atmosphere of H2 plus 5% CO2. Eighty-three mutants were grouped into seven different categories according to their ability to grow on different media and their ability to produce gas during glucose fermentation. Enzymological and genetic studies indicated that the major class (type I), representing nearly 70% of the isolates, lacked fumarate reductase and corresponded to the frdA mutants studied previously (Spencer & Guest, 1973, 1974). Members of a second class (type II) were phenotypically similar to men mutants, blocked in menaquinone biosynthesis. They differed from menA mutants in having lesions in the 44 to 51 min region of the chromosome rather than at 87 min. It was concluded that fumarate reductase and menaquinone are essential for anaerobic growth when fumarate serves as electron acceptor but not when nitrate performs this function. Fumarate reductase and menaquinone are also essential for H2-dependent growth on fumarate. Type III mutants, originally frdB, were designated fnr because they were defective in fumarate and nitrate reduction and impaired in their ability to produce gas. The fnr gene was located at 28-5 min by its cotransducibility with pyrF (5-7 to 9-2%) and trpA (2-7 to 5-7%) and the gene order fnr-qmeA-pyrF-trpA was established. It was not possible to assign specific metabolic lesions to the fnr mutants nor to the remaining classes, which all exhibited pleiotropic phenotypes. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that functional or organizational relationships exist between the fumarate reductase system, nitrate reduction and hydrogen production.

The fumarase (citG) gene of Bacillus subtilis 168 has been identified in a collection of lambda phages carrying EcoRI-generated fragments of B. subtilis DNA. Regions of the cloned DNA have been subcloned into plasmid vectors, and the ability of prophages and multicopy plasmids to complement Escherichia coli and B. subtilis fumarate mutations has been examined. Two EcoRI fragments of 1.5 and 5.1 kb are both required for fumarase expression in E. coli and B. subtilis. The level of fumarase activity from a single copy of the B. subtilis citG gene expressed in E. coli is approximately one-tenth of that from the normal E. coli gene; the level is increased by expression from a pBR322-derived multicopy plasmid. The citG gene has been located within the cloned DNA by transposon mutagenesis and by expression studies, which have also identified a polypeptide of Mr 49000 as the product of the citG gene. The properties of a truncated derivative of this polypeptide have indicated the direction of transcription of the citG gene.

Four independent ace mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO lacking the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex have been isolated. They resembled ace mutants of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium in requiring acetate as an essential supplement for aerobic growth on glucose, succinate or lactate and in their ability to utilize acetate as sole carbon and energy source. Assays for the individual components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex indicated that they lacked the pyruvate dehydrogenase component (El) or the pyruvate dehydrogenase and dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase components (E1 and E2) but not the lipoamide dehydrogenase component (E3). Genetic studies with plasmid R68.45-mediated conjugation and phage F116L-mediated transduction indicated that the ace mutations are located at approximately 15 min in the P. aeruginosa PAO linkage map.

Lambda phages containing the aconitase gene (acn) of Escherichia coli K12 have been isolated by hybridization with an M13 probe containing part of the aconitase gene (citB) of Bacillus subtilis. Aconitase specific activities are amplified 5- to 18-fold in thermally induced lambda acn lysogens and threefold in a strain transformed with a plasmid derivative (pGS181).

Mutants of Escherichia coli K12 with deletions in the nadC-lpd region of the chromosome were obtained for use in studies on the expression of the ace (pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, specific components) and lpd (lipomide dehydrogenase) genes. These were isolated by selecting spontaneous aroP mutants (lacking the general aromatic amino-acid permease and thus resistant to inhibitory aromatic amino-acid analogues) and screening for auxotrophy due to deletions extending into neighbouring genes. From 2892 isolates tested, the AroP- phenotypes of 2322 were confirmed and, of these, 28 stable and independently-derived auxotrophos were designated as deletion mutants. Six nutritionally-distinct categories were recognized: Nad- (8 strains); Nad-Ace-(7): Nad-'Ace-' (3); Ace- (8); 'Ace-' (I); Lpd-(I). The Ace- phenotypes of four isolates designated 'Ace-' were leaky and enzymological studies confirmed that they had less than 7% of parental pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity. Enzymological studies showed that the 15 Ace- or Nad-Ace- strains all lacked the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and pyruvate dehydrogenase (EIp) activities and only three retained detectable dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (E2p). The one Lpd- strain lacked pyruvate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase and lipoamide dehydrogenase (E3) activities as well as the activities of the pyruvate and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes. The results confirmed the gene order nadC-aroP-aceE-aceF-lpd and indicated that no other essential functions are determined by genes within the nadC-lpd region. Resistance to lactate during growth of pps mutants on acetate was directly related to the specific activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. None of the deletions promoted the high degree of resistance characteristically associated with constitutive expression of the dehydrogenase complex. Six pps mutants having Ace+ or 'Ace-' phenotypes were more sensitive than the parental strains and expression of their ace operons appeared to be affected; most sensitive were the Ace- strains which lacked pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and phosphoenolpyruvate synthetase activities. The lipoamide dehydrogenase activities of the deletion strains (Lpd+) ranged between 30% and 100% of parental levels indicating that expression of their ace operons appeared to be affected; most sensitive were the Ace- strains which lacked pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and phosphoenolpyruvate synthetase activities. The lipoamide dehydrogenase activities of the deletion strains (Lpd+) ranged between 30% and 100% of parental levels indicating that expression of the lpd gene may be affected by the ace operon but can be independent.

The position of a gene (fnr) that is essential for growth of Escherichia coli with fumarate or nitrate as electron acceptor was located within an 11.5 kb HindIII fragment of bacterial DNA by deletion analysis with fnr transducing phages (lambda fnr) and by sub-cloning restriction fragments into multicopy plasmids. The functional gene was isolated in a 1.65 kb BamHI-HindIII fragment of a hybrid plasmid pGS24. The fnr gene product was identified as a protein of Mr 31 000, by post-infection labelling and by the 'maxicell' method. Organisms containing the multicopy plasmid (pGS24) overproduced fumarate reductase to the same extent as cultures containing a comparable fumarate reductase plasmid (pNU31) during anaerobic growth; the fnr plasmid also overcame the repression of fumarate reductase synthesis that is normally observed during aerobic growth. Similar effects on nitrate reductase synthesis were also observed. The results support the view that the fnr gene product functions as a positive regulator or a specific sigma factor for expression of anaerobic energy-generating systems.

The fumB gene of Escherichia coli, which complements the fumarase deficiency of a fumA mutant when present in multiple copies, has been located at 93.5 min in the E. coli linkage map and its product has been identified as a polypeptide of 61 kDal. Four overlapping ColE1-fumB+ plasmids representing a continuous segment of 23.3 kb of bacterial DNA have been isolated from the Clarke-Carbon E. coli gene bank and the location of the fumB gene relative to the restriction map and the adjacent mel operon has been defined. Hybridization studies have shown that the fumB gene is homologous to the fumA gene, which complements the fumA1 mutation in single and multi-copy situations, and encodes an analogous 61 kDal product formerly regarded as the E. coli fumarase. The hybridization studies also showed that the Bacillus subtilis fumarase gene (citG) is homologous to an independent gene, fumC (formerly g48), which lies adjacent to the fumA gene at 35.5 min in the E. coli linkage map. The N-terminal sequences of the citG and fumC products exhibit a 51% identity over 88 residues. It is possible that the fumC and citG genes are fumarase structural genes of E. coli and B. subtilis, and that the fumA gene may encode a differentially-regulated fumarase or be a positive regulator gene which is essential for the expression of fumC (but not citG). If so, the fumB gene may encode a related enzyme or activator that can replace the fumA function when amplified.

Fifteen independent menaquinone biosynthesis mutants (men) of Escherichia coli K12, selected for their inability to use fumarate as terminal electron acceptor, were investigated. Two nutritionally distinct groups were detected. The major group (13 mutants) responded to 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate (DHN), 2-succinylbenzoate (SB) and its dilactone, whereas the minor group (2 mutants) only responded to DHN. DHN was at least five times more effective than SB but it inhibited growth at concentrations greater than 10 microM. For anaerobic growth on glucose minimal medium the auxotrophs responded to much lower concentrations of DHN and SB and these intermediates could be replaced by uracil. Anaerobic growth tests showed that glycerol, formate and H2 are good substrates for E. coli when fumarate is the ultimate electron acceptor but growth with lactate or with fumarate alone is poor. All 15 men mutations were located between glpT and purF at approximately 49 min in the E. coli linkage map. Cotransduction frequencies with relevant markers were: nalA (21%), glpT (35%) and purF (15%). The presence of at least three genetically distinct classes (menC and menD, SB-requirers; menB, DHN-requirers) was indicated using abortive transduction as a complementation test and three-factor genetic analysis. The relative orientation nalA...menC-(D,B)...purF was indicated. Fluoroacetate-resistant mutants were isolated and four different classes were identified: ack, lacking acetate kinase; pta, lacking phosphotransacetylase; facA, lacking both of these activities; and facB, which retained both of these enzyme activities. Some of the pta mutants and all of the facA mutants failed to grow on media containing fumarate as terminal electron acceptor or anaerobically on glucose minimal medium. All four types had genetic lesions clustered between the men and purF sites. Average cotransduction frequencies with relevant markers were: nalA (4%), men (27 to 35%) and purF (71 to 80%).

The chromosomal location of a host gene, mop (groE), which is essential for the morphogenesis of several bacteriophages in Escherichia coli, was determined by two- and three-factor transductional crosses using phage P1. Cotransduction frequencies beteen mop and other markers were: aspA, 90%; ampA, 77%; frdA, 73%; mel, 24%. The sequence of markers in the corresponding segment (mel to purA; 91.5 to 93.5 min) of the E. coli linkage map was shown to be mel--aspA--mop(groE)--ampA--frdA--pur A.