Carbamyl phosphate and citrulline formation by phototrophic bacteria
Khramov, V.A.; Kondrat'eva, E.N.
Mikrobiologiia 50(5): 932-934
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-3656 PMID: 6798373 Document Number: 171581
The purple bacteria Ectothiorhodospira shaposhnikovii and Rhodospirillum rubrum are capable of synthesizing citrulline in the presence of ammonium hydrocarbonate, ornithine, ATP and Mg2+ ions. Citrulline biosynthesis by these phototrophic bacteria is presumed to be catalysed by carbamate kinase and ornithine transcarbamoylase. Therefore, certain phototrophic bacteria can assimilate carbon dioxide and ammonia for biosynthesis of amino acids, in particular, citrulline and, apparently, arginine.