An intracellular metabolite quantification technique applicable to polysaccharide-producing bacteria

An experimental procedure for the quantification of intracellular concentra tions of metabolites in exoploysacharide-producing bacteria has been develo ped. This simple technique is based on the simultaneous quenching and extra ction of metabolites using cold ethanol. Extracellular polysaccharide is pr ecipitated with the cell matter generating clean samples which can be furth er concentrated using evaporation techniques or solid state extraction colu mns. Intracellular pools, coherent with the operation of the Entner-Doudoro ff pathway were observed in Xanthomonas campestris.