In nutrient-rich environments (like your mouth), bacteria can use the provided amino acids to synthesize their proteins. However
, should the environmental conditions change and become nutrient-poor, bacteria would need to synthesize their amino acids. They can do this using __________.
Many citric acid cycle intermediates can be siphoned off and thus can be used to generate the amino acids. The intermediates which can provide carbon skeletons for the synthesis of the amino acids are oxaloacetate which helps in the formation of aspartate as well as asparagine; and alpha-ketoglutarate which helps in the formation of the glutamine, proline, as well as arginine.
