Figure 1

Key reactions for glutamate biosynthesis and degradation in Bacillus subtilis. Glutamate is the universal amino group donor in all living cells and in that way links the carbon and nitrogen metabolisms. In B. subtilis the synthesis of glutamate depends on the glutamate synthase GltAB. In addition, the genome encodes two glutamate dehydrogenases, RocG and GudB, although the latter is inactive in the laboratory B. subtilis strain 168 (see text). The synthesis and degradation of glutamate are tightly regulated in response to the availability of carbon and nitrogen sources.