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Title: Characteristics of some fermentative bacteria from a thermophilic methane-producing fermenter

Journal Article · · Microb. Ecol.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02011591· OSTI ID:5764073

Anaerobic bacteria from a 55/sup 0/C methane-producing beef waste fermenter were enumerated, isolated, and characterized. Direct microscopic bacterial counts were 5.2-6.8 X 10/sup 10/ per g fermenter effluent. Using a nonselective roll-tube medium which contained 40% fermenter effluent, 8.5-14.1% of microscopic count was culturable. Deletion of fermenter effluent significantly reduced the viable count. Sixty-four randomly picked strains were characterized. All were pleomorphic, gram-negative, anaerobic rods, many of which were difficult to grow in liquid media. The strains were divided into 5 major groups based on glucose fermentation, hydrogen sulfide production, starch hydrolysis, fermentation products, and morphology. Glucose was fermented by 75% of the isolates, 76% utilized starch, 25% produced hydrogen sulfide, 76% produced hydrogen, 37% produced indole, 21% hydrolyzed gelatin, and 13% were sporeformers. Ethanol, lactate, formate, acetate, and hydrogen were common fermentation products. Twenty-four representative strains had 1-12 flagella. Growth was observed between 35 and 73/sup 0/C. These studies indicate that species diversity among the isolated organisms was low. 38 references, 3 tables.

Research Organization:
Dept. of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE
OSTI ID:
5764073
Journal Information:
Microb. Ecol.; (United States), Vol. 10:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English