GLUTAMATE-DEHYDROGENASE IS NOT ESSENTIAL FOR GLUTAMATE FORMATION BY CORYNEBACTERIUM-GLUTAMICUM

Two Corynebacterium glutamicum strains, one being glutamate dehydrogen ase (GDH) negative and the other possessing 11-fold-higher specific GD H activity than the parental wild type, were constructed and used to a nalyze the role of GDH in C. glutamicum. The results indicate (i) that GDH is dispensable for glutamate synthesis required for growth and (i i) that although a high level of GDH increases the intracellular gluta mate pool, the level of GDH has no influence on glutamate secretion.