Comparative metabolic studies on the genus Brucella. I. Evidence of a urea cycle from glutamic acid metabolism.

During investigations to ascertain the mechanism involved in the differential bacteriostatic effect of dyes on the growth of the three species of Brucella, it became apparent that relevant data could be obtained by studying the comparative metabolism of glutamic acid by the three species. This was initiated using resting cell techniques and determining the metabolites by paper chromatography. The appearance of ornithine and arginine as metabolites from Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis, but not from Brucella suis, suggested a urea cycle in the first two species. This paper is a report on these investigations.