The influence of insulin on the rate of glucose oxidation by Pasteurella pestis.

The rate of oxidation of glucose by freshly harvested resting cells of P. pestis strain A-1122 was accelerated by 20 to 41 per cent in the presence of insulin. The stimulatory action was not noted when cell-free enzyme preparations were employed and was less marked after storage of cells for 3 days. Although insulin was not oxidized by the organism, the amount of oxygen consumed during the dissimilation of a unit weight of glucose was increased in the presence of the hormone.