Products of Leishmania braziliensis glucose catabolism: release of D-lactate and, under anaerobic conditions, glycerol

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.84.20.7129· OSTI ID:7027176

Darling, T N; Davis, D G; London, R E; Blum, J J

Leishmania braziliensis panamensis promastigotes were incubated with glucose as the sole carbon source. About one-fifth of the glucose consumed under aerobic conditions was oxidized to CO/sub 2/. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies with (1-/sup 13/C)glucose showed that the other products released were succinate, acetate, alanine, pyruvate, and lactate. Under anaerobic conditions, lactate output increased, glycerol became a major product, and, surprisingly, glucose consumption decreased. Enzymatic assays showed that the lactate formed was D(-)-lactate. The release of alanine during incubation with glucose as the sole carbon source suggested that appreciable proteolysis occurred, consistent with our observation that a large amount of ammonia was released under these conditions. The discoveries that D-lactate is a product of L. braziliensis glucose catabolism, that glycerol is produced under anaerobic conditions, and that the cells exhibit a reverse Pasteur effect open the way for detailed studies of the pathways of glucose metabolism and their regulation in this organism.

• Research Organization: Duke Univ. Medical Center, Durham, NC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7027176
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Vol. 84:20
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
GLUCOSE
METABOLISM
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
ALANINES
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
CARBON 13
CARBON DIOXIDE
GLYCEROL
HEAVY WATER
LACTIC ACID
NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE
PROTEOLYSIS
TRYPANOSOMA
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
AMINO ACIDS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON ISOTOPES
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEXOSES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY ACIDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
MASTIGOPHORA
MONOSACCHARIDES
NUCLEI
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
RESONANCE
SACCHARIDES
STABLE ISOTOPES
WATER
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