THE UTILIZATION OF ACONATE AND ITACONATE BY MICROCOCCUS SP.

1. An organism, identified as Micrococcus sp., was isolated by elective culture on aconate; it also grew on itaconate. 2. Washed suspensions of the aconate-grown organism readily oxidized intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, aconate and succinic semialdehyde, but not itaconate. Itaconate-grown cells oxidized tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates, succinic semialdehyde and itaconate, but not aconate. Succinate-grown cells oxidized neither itaconate nor aconate. 3. Extracts of aconate-grown cells catalysed the formation of succinic semialdehyde and carbon dioxide, in equimolar amounts, from aconate. In the presence of NAD or NADP, succinic semialdehyde was oxidized to succinate with concomitant reduction of the coenzyme. 4. Extracts of itaconate-grown cells catalysed the formation of pyruvate and acetyl-CoA from itaconyl-CoA. 5. Key enzymes involved in the formation of succinate from aconate, and of pyruvate and acetyl-CoA from itaconate, were distinct and inducible: their formation preceded growth on the appropriate substrate.