Investigations of the influence of carbon starvation on the carbohydrate storage compounds (trehalose, glycogen), viability, adenylate pool, and adenylate energy charge in Cellulomonas sp. (DSM20108)

During conditions of energy and carbon excess Cellulomonas sp. accumulates intracellularly two different carbohydrate storage products in different relative concentrations: trehalose and glycogen. During carbon starvation these compounds are degraded at different rates and are therefore characterized metabolically by different half‐life periods (glycogen 1.6 h, trehalose 34 h). Other parameters which bear some relation to viability during conditions of stress are compared with these half‐life periods. The half‐life period of the adenylate energy charge ECA (52 h) is similar to the trehalose half‐life period, and it is concluded that it is trehalose which is essential for long‐term survival while glycogen is used in the very early stages of carbon starvation to produce energy for metabolism under these conditions. Evidence is presented that two mechanisms are active for the stabilization of the intracellular adenylate energy charge: specific excretion and adenylate degradation.