RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SULFAGUANIDINE RESISTANCE AND INCREASED CELLULOSE PRODUCTION IN ACETOBACTER-XYLINUM BPR3001E

The mechanism of the increased cell growth and cellulose production of Acetobacter xylinum subsp. sucrofermentans BPR3001E, a sulfaguanidine (SG)-resistant mutant, was investigated, We found that adding p-amino benzoic acid (PABA) to cultures of the parent strain, BPR2001, led to increased levels of intracellular adenosine-related purine compounds a nd increased cellulose production. Furthermore, adding ATP increased t he. cellulose production by permeabilized BPR2001 cells. On the other hand, the intracellular levels of PABA and adenosine-related purine co mpounds in BPR3001E cells mere higher than those in BPR2001 cells, The se results suggest that SG resistance increases enhance cellulose prod uction through increased levels of intracellular high-energy compounds caused by increased PABA biosynthesis, reflecting the promoted supply of cellulose precursors.