The duplication of arginine catabolism and the meaning of the two ornithine carbamoyltransferases in Bacillus licheniformis.

Arginine deiminase and carbamate kinase activities are shown to be present in cell-free extracts of $\text{Bacillus licheniformis}$. This gives the rationale for the occurrence of an arginine-inducible ornithine carbamoyltransferase in this organism and suggests that, $\text{in vivo}$ and under the proper conditions, this enzyme is able to catalyze the phosphorolysis of citrulline. This also shows that this Bacillus species has two arginine catabolic pathways. This duplication appears to be under the control of O₂.