The metabolism of carbohydrates by extremely halophilic bacteria: glucose metabolism via a modified Entner-Doudoroff pathway.

Crude extracts prepared from the extremely halophilic bacterium M6 catalyzed the conversion of glucose to gluconic acid. The latter compound was dehydrated to 2-keto-3-deoxygluconic acid, which in the presence of ATP, was converted to equimolar amounts of pyruvate and 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde, presumably through the intermediate compound 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconic acid. Additional enzymes catalyzing the conversion of 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde to pyruvic acid were also present. These data are consistent with the operation of a modified Entner-Doudoroff pathway in this organism.