Glucose metabolism and the hexose monophosphate shunt in clones of hamster cells.

A Chinese hamster ovary cell line has been isolated in cell culture which exhibited resistance to the cytotoxic effects of fluorocitrate. Unlike previously reported fluorocitrate-resistant lines this variant does not contain an altered aconitase activity. Instead it was found that the variant cells contained a more active than wild type hexose monophosphate shunt. It is postulated that this higher than normal activity in the variant cells is important in overcoming the partial fluorocitrate block of the tricarboxylic acid cycle that occurs when the resistant cells are grown in the presence of the drug.