Microbial growth on C1 compounds. The role of folate in the metabolism of Pseudomonas AM1

1. The growth of Pseudomonas AM1 is much more sensitive to inhibition by sulphanilamide when methanol, rather than succinate, acts as the sole carbon and energy source; a sulphanilamide concentration of 1mm, which causes almost complete inhibition of growth on methanol, has little effect in a succinate medium. 2. Similar results have been obtained with sulphadiazine and sulphathiazole. Sulphanilic acid has little effect. 3. A similar differential sensitivity to sulphanilamide is shown by Protaminobacter ruber and Pseudomonas extorquens when grown on methanol media as compared with succinate. 4. Sulphanilamide inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas oxalaticus on formate, oxalate and succinate media to about the same extent. 5. Inhibition of growth of Pseudomonas AM1 by sulphanilamide is accompanied by an accumulation of glycine in the cells. 6. Inhibition of growth by sulphanilamide can be reversed by p-aminobenzoic acid. 7. Microbiological assays of the folate content of Pseudomonas AM1 have been performed after growth on both methanol and succinate, and the results are discussed in terms of differences in metabolism.