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NAD-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH-B) was induced in a wild-type strain derived of alpha-sigma 1278b by alpha-amino acids, the nitrogen of which according to known degradative pathways is transferred to 2-oxoglutarate. A recessive mutant (gdhB) devoid of GDH-B activity grew more slowly than the wild type if one of these amino acids was the sole source of nitrogen. Addition of ammonium chloride, glutamine, asparagine or serine to growth media with inducing alpha-amino acids as the main nitrogen source increased the growth rate of the gdhB mutant to the wild-type level and repressed GDH-B synthesis in the wild type. Arginine, urea and allantoin similarly increased the growth rate of the gdhB mutant and repressed GDH-B synthesis in the presence of glutamate, but not in the presence of aspartate, alanine or proline as the main nitrogen source. These observations are consistent with the view that GDH-B in vivo deaminates glutamate. Ammonium ions are required for the biosynthesis of glutamine, asparagine, arginine, histidine and purine and pyrimidine bases. Aspartate and alanine apparently are more potent inducers of GDH-B than glutamate. Anabolic NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH-A) can not fulfil the function of GDH-B in the gdhB mutant. This is concluded from the equal growth rates in glutamate, aspartate and proline media as observed with a gdhB mutant and with a gdhA, gdhB double mutant in which both glutamate dehydrogenases area lacking. The double mutant showed an anomalous growth behaviour, growth rates on several nitrogen sources being unexpectedly low.