DIFFERENT CORRINOID SPECIFICITIES FOR CELL-GROWTH AND THE COBALAMIN UPTAKE SYSTEM IN EUGLENA-GRACILIS-Z

A variety of cobalamin analogues synthesized chemically or microbiologically were used to study the corrinoid specificities of cell growth and the cobalamin uptake system in Euglena gracilis z. Although Euglena could not utilize most of the analogues for cell growth, benzimidazolyl cobamide, cyanocobalamin-O5'-phosphate, and cyanocobalamin-b-, -d- and -e-monocarboxylates had effects similar to that of cyanocobalamin on cell growth. It is suggested that Euglena cells have the ability to synthesize 'complete cobalamin' from the acid derivatives (amidation reaction) and/or the phosphate derivative (dephosphorylation reaction). Inhibition of uptake of radiolabelled cyanocobalamin caused by addition of various analogues indicates that both the alpha-lower axial ligand (the cobalt-coordinated nucleotide) and the (b)-propionamide side-chain of the cobalamin molecule are essential for the cobalamin uptake system in Euglena. These results indicate that there are different corrinoid specificities for cell growth and the cobalamin uptake system in E. gracilis z.