N. Potezny, ER. Atkinson, AM. Rofe and RA. Conyers (1981). The inhibition of bacterial cell growth by ketone bodies. The Australian journal of experimental biology and medical science, 59(Pt 5), 639-49. https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.1981.57

PubMed 7034705

[Abstract]
The effect of ketone bodies on the growth, in culture, of Escherichia coli was investigated. Both growth and glucose utilisation were inhibited in the presence of 20 mmol/l D-3-hydroxybutyrate. Lower concentrations of D-3-hydroxybutyrate caused proportionally less inhibition of growth. Acetoacetate also inhibited growth but other glycolytic inhibitors and chemical analogues of D-3-hydroxybutyrate either did not inhibit or proved to be too toxic for bacterial growth. Citrate enhanced the ketone body effect. D-3-hydroxybutyrate also inhibited the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii and Salmonella typhimurium. The possible relationship between ketone body inhibition of cell growth and oxygen limitation is discussed.