Cyanide formation from oxidation of glycine of Pseudomonas species

J Bacteriol. 1974 Mar;117(3):1289-94. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.3.1289-1294.1974.

Abstract

With whole cells of a hydrogen cyanide-producing bacterium strain C, of the genus Pseudomonas, it was found that the oxygen necessary for the oxidation of glycine to cyanide could be replaced by various artificial electron acceptors. The order of reactivity was: oxygen > phenazine methosulphate > methylene blue > 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol > ferricyanide. Cyanide production was inhibited by pyrrolnitrin, a well-known inhibitor of many flavine enzymes. The molar ratio of added glycine to cyanide produced was found to be 1.09. With whole bacteria the apparent K(m) (glycine) for the cyanide production was found to be 5.0 x 10(-4) M.

MeSH terms

  • Acridines / pharmacology
  • Anaerobiosis
  • Carbon Dioxide / biosynthesis
  • Copper / pharmacology
  • Cyanides / biosynthesis*
  • Electron Transport
  • Ferricyanides / metabolism
  • Glycine / metabolism*
  • Indophenol / metabolism
  • Methylene Blue / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxygen Consumption
  • Phenanthrolines / pharmacology
  • Phenazines / metabolism
  • Pseudomonas / metabolism*
  • Pyrroles / pharmacology
  • Sulfates

Substances

  • Acridines
  • Cyanides
  • Ferricyanides
  • Phenanthrolines
  • Phenazines
  • Pyrroles
  • Sulfates
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Indophenol
  • Copper
  • Methylene Blue
  • Glycine