Carbohydrate metabolism in streptomycetes. II. Isolation and enzymatic synthesis of trehalose.

A number of streptomycetes were examined for their ability to synthesize trehalose phosphate as well as for the presence of alpha,alpha-trehalose. In each case, an enzyme system was demonstrated which catalyzed the transfer of glucose from guanosine diphosphate-glucose to glucose-6-phosphate to form trehalose phosphate. Thus, this group of organisms appears to synthesize trehalose phosphate by a different mechanism from that described in insects, yeast, and fungi. In addition, trehalose was isolated from each of these organisms. In several of these cases, crystallization of the sugar and determination of the physical properties showed that the sugar was alpha,alpha-trehalose.