Selective inhibition of Klebsiella aerogenes growth on pentoses by pentitols

Selective inhibition of growth by pentitols was observed when Klebsiella aerogenes M-7 which could not utilize pentitols was grown on pentoses. D-Arabitol inhibited the growth on D-arabinose as a sole carbon source, but had no effect on the growth on L-arabinose, D-xylose, and D-ribose. Similarly, L-arabitol inhibited the growth on D-arabinose and L-arabinose, ribitol inhibited the growth on D-arabinose and L-arabinose, and xylitol inhibited the growth on D-xylose. From the following reasons, we postulated that the selective growth inhibition by pentitols was due to the competitive inhibition of pentose isomerase reaction by the cell by pentitols. (i) D-Arabinose transport activity was not inhibited by pentitols. (ii) Induction of D-arabinose and L-arabinose isomerases was not inhibited by D- and L-arabitol, respectively. (iii) The specificity of growth inhibition by pentitols was the same as that of competitive inhibition of pentose isomerases by pentitols.