Macromolecular and Elemental Composition Analyses of Leuconostoc mesenteroides ATCC 8293 Cultured in a Chemostat.

The cellular composition and metabolic compounds of Leuconostoc mesenteroides ATCC 8293 were analyzed after cultivation in an anaerobic chemostat. The macromolecular composition was 24.4% polysaccharide, 29.7% protein, 7.9% lipid, 2.9% DNA, and 7.4% RNA. Its amino acid composition included large amounts of lysine, glutamic acid, alanine, and leucine. Elements were in the order of C > O > N > H > S. The metabolites in chemostat culture were lactic acid (73.34 mM), acetic acid (7.69 mM), and mannitol (9.93 mM). These data provide a first view of the cellular composition of L. mesenteroides for use in metabolic flux analysis.