Glycolysis and Entner-Doudoroff pathways in Halobacterium halobium: some new observations based on 13C NMR spectroscopy.

13C NMR was used to study glucose metabolism in intact cells of Halobacterium halobium. Spectra of glucose grown cells incubated with [1-13C] glucose indicate the presence of gluconate as the initial product. The existence of glycolytic pathway is also indicated. In the extracts of these cells an NADP dependent glucose dehydrogenase was detected. Galactose grown cells failed to metabolise glucose but exhibited glucose dehydrogenase activity although about 20-50% less than that for glucose grown cells. Possible explanations of these experiments are discussed.