Microbial Adenosine 5’-triphosphate

Jenkinson DS, Davidson SA, Powlson DS (1979) Adenosine triphosphate and microbial biomass in soil. Soil Biol Biochem 11 521-527... 

Microbial activity requires energy, and all microorganisms generate energy. This energy is subsequently stored as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which can then be utilized for growth and metabolism as needed, subject to the second law of thermodynamics [2,23,35,41,42,51,54]. 

AMP aminohydrolase, an enzyme relatively specific for AMP, has been observed in reptiles (44), erythrocytes (38), snail (45), unfertilized fish eggs (46), invertebrates (47), a variety of mammalian tissues (20), and a particulate fraction of pea seeds (48). Evidence suggests that the frog muscle AMP aminohydrolase is located within or just beneath the sarcolemma (49). The rabbit skeletal and heart muscle enzymes were found in the cytoplasm and mitochondria (20, Jfi, 50, 51), while the enzyme of kidneys and gills of freshwater fish was located in the cytoplasmic fraction (52). The enzyme occurs in most areas of the rat (53) and rabbit brain (54). The nonspecific enzyme from several microbial sources deaminates adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) as well as AMP (see Section V). 

Figure 9.3 Microbial metabolism (primary) of glucose to lactate or ethanol. ADP = adenosine diphosphate ATP = adenosine triphosphate.

Hewes, C. D., Sakshaug, E., Reid, F. M. H., Holm-Hansen, O., 1990. Microbial autotrophic and heterotrophic eucaryotes in Antarctic waters relationships between biomass and chlorophyll, adenosine triphosphate and particulate matter. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 63, 27-35. 

Holm-Hansen, O., 1973b. Determination of total microbial biomass by measurement of adenosine triphosphate. In L.H. Stevenson and R.R. Colwell (Editors), Estuarine Microbial Ecology. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, S.C., pp. 73—89. 

Metabolic activity Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) Fluorometer and supplies commercially available for field use. ATP level correlates well with microbial metabolism level. Its concentration reflects the level of activity in a sample. 

GREAVES M.P., WHEATLEY R.E., SHEPHERD H. and KNIGHT A.H. 1973. Relationship between microbial populations and adenosine triphosphate in a basin peat. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 5, 685-687. 

OADES J.M. and JENKINSON D.S. 1979. The adenosine triphosphate content of the soil microbial biomass. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 11, 201-204. 

Metabolites. An overall assessment of microbial activity can be obtained by measuring the amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in field samples. This key metabolite drives many cellular reactions. 

Bjorkman K. and Karl D. M. (2001) A novel method for the measurement of dissolved adenosine and juanosine triphosphate in aquatic habitats apphcations to marine microbial ecology. J. Microbiol. Meth. 47, 159-167. 

Adenosine 5 -triphosphate (ATP) assay The functional significance of ATP in the metabolism of living cells suggests that its measurement should be an excellent monitor of microbial activity in the sample. There are two factors that adversely affect the estimation of bacterial numbers by measurement of ATP first, nonbacterial ATP and, second, quenching of the emitted light. Eailure to destroy the... 

PAUL E.A. and JOHNSON R.L. 1977. Microscopic counting and adenosine 5 -triphosphate measurement in determining microbial growth in soils. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 3, 263-269. 

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