Anaerobic lactate oxidation to 3 CO2 by Archaeoglobus fulgidus via the carbon monoxide dehydrogenase pathway: demonstration of the acetyl-CoA carbon-carbon cleavage reaction in cell extracts

Cell extracts of Archaeoglobus fulgidus were found to catalyze an isotope exchange between CO₂ and the carbonyl group of acetyl-CoA. This observation and the presence of carbon monoxide: methyl viologen oxidoreductase activity strongly support the recent proposal that in A. fulgidus acetyl-CoA is degraded via a decarbonylation reaction.