Glycerol-mediated repression of glucose metabolism and glycerol kinase as the sole route of glycerol catabolism in the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii.

ABSTRACT: Although glycerol is the primary carbon source available to halophilic heterotrophic communities, little is known regarding haloarchaeal glycerol metabolism. In this study, a gene encoding a glycerol kinase homolog (glpK; HVO_1541) was deleted from the genome of the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii by a markerless knockout strategy. The glpK mutant, KS4, readily grew on yeast extract-peptone complex medium and glucose minimal medium but was incapable of growth on glycerol. Glycerol kinase activity was dependent on the glpK gene and readily detected in cells grown on glucose and/or glycerol, with the activity level higher in medium supplemented with glycerol (with or without glucose) than in medium with glucose alone. An analysis of carbon utilization revealed that glycerol suppressed the me

SUBMITTER: Sherwood KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2698487 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature