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Title: Continuous culture of Methanococcus jannaschii, an extremely thermophilic methanogen

Journal Article · · Biotechnology and Bioengineering; (United States)
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

Methanococcus jannaschii, an extremely thermophilic methanogen isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent was grown at 80 C in continuous culture on a mineral salts medium gassed with H[sub 2] and CO[sub 2] at three different flow rates. The maximum specific growth rate was 0.56 h[sup [minus]1], and the maximum specific methane productivity was 0.32 (mol g[sup [minus]1] h[sup [minus]1]). Uncoupling of growth and methane production was evidenced by an increase in the non-growth-associated rate of methane formation, [Beta], with increasing gaseous input. The specific hydrogenase activity exhibited growth-associated behavior at low growth rates, but showed no dependence on growth at higher growth rates. The growth dependence of hydrogenase activity is consistent with the pressure dependence of hydrogenase activity measured in previous experiments. In contrast, the specific protease activity was independent of the growth rate over the entire range of dilution rates studied.

OSTI ID:
5392097
Journal Information:
Biotechnology and Bioengineering; (United States), Vol. 43:3; ISSN 0006-3592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English