Characterization of a fluorescent compound isolated from Legionella pneumophila
Legionella pneumophila requires the presence of amino acids for growth and utilizes them for energy. Along with other amino acids, either phenylalanine or tyrosine is essential for the growth of the organism and tyrosine has been identified as an energy source. When L. pneumophila is grown in the presence of tyrosine, a brown melanin-like pigment is produced. A green fluorescent pigment, fg2, was isolated from centrifuged culture fluid after the organism was grown in the presence of tyrosine. Fg2 is water soluble with a molecular weight of 152 as determined by mass spectral analysis. A mutant of L. pneumophila unable to produce fg2 was isolated to assist in elucidation of the biosynthesis of fg2. Radiolabeling experiments were utilized to conclude that neither tyrosine nor any other amino acid was a precursor in the biosynthesis of fg2. Shikimic acid, an intermediate in tyrosine biosynthesis, was found to also be an intermediate in the biosynthesis of fg2. A series of experiments in which L. pneumophila was grown in a chemically defined medium containing various combinations of aromatic amino acids determined that fg2 and the brown pigment always occur in tandem.
- Research Organization:
- Iowa Univ., Iowa City (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5989963
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA
GROWTH
PIGMENTS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
TYROSINE
CATABOLISM
AMINO ACIDS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CENTRIFUGATION
FLUORESCENCE
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
RADIOISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
BACTERIA
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
HYDROXY ACIDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LUMINESCENCE
METABOLISM
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
SYNTHESIS
550501* - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques
550901 - Pathology- Tracer Techniques