Glucose utilization by resting cells of Fusobacterium polymorphum

In the resting state, Fusobacterium polymorphum rapidly lost the ability to metabolize glucose. Washing of bacterial suspensions with water or saline resulted in a progressive decrease of glucose fermentation. A mixture of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD) adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and Mg 2+ partially restored the metabolic capacity, but only under anaerobic conditions. Activity was maintained when early log phase bacteria were washed in a solution containing NAD +, AMP and Mg 2+ and incubated with or without NAD +, AMP and Mg 2+. When the bacteria were washed in a solution containing glucose and incubated without NAD + or AMP of Mg 2+, the activity was partially maintained.