In malonate grown Pseudomonas fluorescens, malonate decarboxylase and acetyl-CoA synthetase were induced, whereas in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus malonate decarboxylase, acetate kinase, and phosphate acetyltransferase were induced. In both bacteria malonate decarboxylase was the first, key enzyme catalyzing the decarboxylation of malonate to acetate, and it was localized in the periplasmic space. Acetate thus formed was metabolized to acetyl-CoA directly by acetyl-CoA synthetase in Pseudomonas, and to acetyl-CoA via acetyl phosphate by acetate kinase and phosphate acetyltransferase in Acinetobacter.