An electrochemical method is described by which it appears possible to distinguish aerobic from anaerobic pathways in the oxidation of various substrates by E. coli. The results obtained from the oxidation of glucose indicate that 23 per cent of the oxidation occurs via the "pcntose phosphate cycle" and 77 per cent via the Embden-Meyerhof path. The values for fructose are 17 and 83 per cent, respectively. The essentially identical coulombic values obtained for gluconate, pyruvate and formate under aerobic, as well as anaerobic, experimental conditions would indicate that the portions of the paths in which these intermediates participate no longer require oxygen for their further degradation.
Resume-Une
methode Blectrochimique permet de distinguer les processus aerobiques et les processus anaerobiques dans l'oxydation de divers substrats en presence de Coli. E. Par exemple, 23 pour cent de l'oxydation du glucose implique le cycle "phosphate de pentose", tandis que 77 pour cent emprunte le processus Embden-Mayerhof.
Ces taux deviennent 17 et 83 pour cent dans le cas du fructose. Les valeurs coulombiques propres aux gluconate, pyruvate, formiate sont essentiellement les mi%mes pour des conditions experimentales aerobies ou anaerobies, ce qui semble indiquer que les &apes qui suivent c&es auxquelles ces intermediaires participent n'exigent pas Oz.