Characteristics of Methylobacillus flagellatum KT mutants, deficient for phosphoglucoisomerase, an enzyme of the ribulose monophosphate cycle of obligate methylotrophic bacteria

The activities of the key enzymes of ribulose monophosphate cycle for formaldehyde oxidation and assimilation were tested in crude extracts from temperature sensitive mutants of obligatemethylotroph M. flagellatum KT. Two mutants deficient in phosphoglucoisomerase activity were identified during this screening. Phosphoglucoisomerase of T525 pgi-1 mutant was active both at permissive (30 degrees C) and nonpermissive (42 degrees C) temperatures. Complete inactivation of the enzyme at 42 degrees C occurred in 2 h in vitro, while in vivo incubation at nonpermissive temperature for more than 10 h was required for the enzyme inactivation. Phosphoglucoisomerase activity of T566 pgi-2 was 5-fold lower as compared with the one from the parent strain incubated at 30 degrees C. The enzyme was inactivated in 2 min. in crude extract at nonpermissive temperature.