Fructose phosphorylation by zymomonas mobilis glucokinase

Zymomonas mobilis ATCC 53431, a fructokinase negative mutant is unable to utilize fructose as a sole carbon source for growth. At high fructose concentrations, however, fructose was converted to ethanol. The fructose uptake displayed MICHAELIS‐MENTEN kinetics with an apparent Km of 185 mM fructose. Purified glucokinase from ATCC 53431 and the wild strain ATCC 29191 both exhibited fructose phosphorylating activity at high fructose concentrations with an apparent Km value of 222 mM fructose. Glucokinase substrate specificity was found not be absolute, as previously reported.