Giardia lamblia produces alanine anaerobically but not in the presence of oxygen

Abstract

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance was used to follow glucose metabolism in Giardia lamblia. Under strictly anaerobic conditions this organism produces equimolar ethanol and alanine as well as CO2 and some acetate. Aerobically the production of both alanine and ethanol are inhibited and more acetate and CO2 are formed. These changes in the balance of products are reversible over the range 0-46 microM O2. In the presence of 46 microM O2, alanine was not detectable. The O2-sensitivity of alanine production may highlight the necessity for redox-balancing reactions in an organism exposed in situ to fluctuating concentrations of O2.