Effect of iodoacetate on the synthesis of polybetahydroxybutyrate in Bacillus cerceus T

When Bacillus cereus T, a milk isolate, is grown in glucose medium it breaks down glucose into medium during vegetative growth. After cessation of vegetative growth PHB synthesis commences and the acids disappear from the medium. Contribution of glucose, of any, in PHB was investigated by labelling experiments with uniformly labelled glucose- 1 4C. Results revealed that glucose is not contributing to PHB carbon in iodoacetate treated (added at '0' hour) cultures, though good incorporation of the label is observed in control culture. These results indicate that in such cultures PHB arises not from glucose but from some amino acids. (author)