Cell growth and by-product formation in a pyruvate kinase mutant of E-coli

In this paper, we report on the analysis of acid formation in an E. coli py k mutant. The results demonstrate that acid formation is insignificant for both the wild-type and the mutant at low glucose concentrations. However, a t relatively high glucose concentrations, acid formation remains very low f or the mutant but is significant for the wild-type. This substantial reduct ion in acids is accompanied by an increase in CO2 production. Moreover, unl ike the B. subtilis pyk mutant, the E. coli pyk mutant did not show a subst antial increase in the PEP pool.