UTILIZATION OF LACTIC-ACID BY FUSARIUM-OXYSPORUM VAR LINI - REGULATION OF TRANSPORT AND METABOLISM

Lactic acid was transported in Fusarium oxysporum var. lini ATCC 10960 by a saturable transport system that had a half-saturation constant o f 56.6 +/- 7.5 muM and a maximum velocity of 0.61 +/- 0.10 mmol h-1 g- 1 (dry weight) at 26-degrees-C and pH 5.0. This transport's system was inducible and was not expressed in the presence of a repressing subst rate. Evidence is presented that the anionic form lactate- was taken u p by the cells. Propionic, acetic, pyruvic, and bromoacetic acids but not succinic acid competitively inhibited the transport of lactic acid . Bromoacetic acid, which was not metabolized, was taken up to a stead y-state level when intracellular and extracellular concentrations were identical, indicating that the transport system was not accumulative. The enzymatic activity that was physiologically more relevant in the metabolism of lactic acid was lactate: ferricytochrome c oxidase. This enzyme did not exhibit stereospecifity and was induced by lactic acid .