Utilization of gluconate by Escherichia coli. A role of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate in the induction of gluconate catabolism.

1. Cultures of Escherichia coli growing on gluconate use both gluconate and glucose when glucose is added. 2. Glycerol-grown cells adapt to gluconate utilization even in media containing glucose as well as gluconate. 3. The rates of gluconate utilization by cells growing on a mixture of glucose and gluconate, and the specific activities of the gluconate uptake system and of gluconate kinase, are greater if adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) is present in the medium than in its absence. 4. Growth on media containing gluconate and cyclic AMP is accompanied by the formation of methyl glyoxal and pyruvate, and progressive inhibition of growth. 5. A mutant devoid of adenylate cyclase activity (cya) grew well on glucose in the absence of exogenous cyclic AMP but grew only poorly on gluconate; neither the gluconate uptake system nor gluconate kinase was adequately induced. The addition of cyclic AMP promoted growth on gluconate and facilitated the induction of proteins required for gluconate catabolism. 6. Phage Pl-mediated transduction of cya+ into the cya-mutant also restored the wild-type phenotype in its ability to adapt to gluconate utilization.