Galactose metabolism. I. Pathway of carbon in fermentation by Streptococcus faecalis.

Fukuyama T. T. (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia) and D. J. O'Kane. Galactose metabolism. I. Pathway of carbon in fermentation by Streptococcus faecalis. J. Bacteriol. 84:793-796. 1962.-The pathway by which galactose-1-C(14) is fermented in Streptococcus faecalis was investigated using dried-cell preparations. Lactic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, ethanol, and carbon dioxide were the end products formed, with lactic acid representing approximately 50% of the sugar fermented. The distribution of radio-activity indicated that the fermentation follows the Embden-Meyerhof route, suggesting that the difference in the formation of the products of glucose and galactose fermentation must be attributed to alternate routes of pyruvic acid metabolism. Differences in pH did not account for the dissimilar fermentation patterns.