Amino acids as carbon, energy and nitrogen sources for Penicillium camembertii

Three groups of amino acids were previously characterized on their ability to be assimilated as carbon source by Penicillium camembertii. In view of a deeper understanding of their metabolic behaviour, growth of P. camembertii on glucose, the limiting substrate, and an amino acid was examined in batch culture. Amino acids from the first group (Cys, His, Lys, Met, Trp and Val) are convenient nitrogen sources, but cannot be assimilated as carbon sources. However, they are also dissimilated, namely used for energy supply by oxidation into CO2, during stationary phase, after glucose depletion, as shown for lysine; and the corresponding nitrogen was released as ammonium. Growth exhibited diauxic behaviour for the second group of amino acids (Arg, Leu), since they can be assimilated as carbon sources, in addition to their assimilation as nitrogen sources, but only after glucose depletion, as shown for arginine. A clear differentiation between the assimilated and the dissimilated carbon was demonstrated for the third group of amino acids (Ala, Asp, Glu, Gly, Pro, Ser, Thr); it was shown that the carbon from glutamic acid was assimilated, while the carbon from glucose was dissimilated. (c) 2006 Society of Chemical Industry.