Growth of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on formic acid

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5410019

Pronk, J T; Meijer, W M; Hazeu, W; vanDijken, J P; Bos, P; Kuenen, J G ^[1]

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1. Delft Univ. of Technology (Netherlands)

A variety of acidophilic microorganisms were shown to be capable of oxidizing formate. These included Thiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 21834, which, however, could not grow on formate in normal batch cultures. However, the organism could be grown on formate when the substrate supply was growth limiting, e.g., in formate-limited chemostat cultures. The cell densities achieved by the use of the latter cultivation method were higher than cell densities reported for growth of T. ferrooxidans on ferrous iron or reduced sulfur compounds. Inhibition of formate oxidation by cell suspensions, but not cell extracts, of formate-grown T. ferrooxidans occurred at formate concentrations above 100 {mu}M. This observation explains the inability of the organism to grow on formate in batch cultures. Cells grown in formate-limited chemostat cultures retained the ability to oxidize ferrous iron at high rates. Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activities in cell extracts indicated that T. ferrooxidans employs the Calvin cycle for carbon assimilation during growth on formate. Oxidation of formate by cell extracts was NAD(P) independent.

• OSTI ID: 5410019
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 57:7; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550500* -- Metabolism
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACILLUS
BACTERIA
CALVIN CYCLE SPECIES
CARBON-CARBON LYASES
CARBOXY-LYASES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
FORMIC ACID
LYASES
METABOLISM
MICROORGANISMS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PLANTS
RIBULOSE DIPHOSPHATE CARBOXYLASE
SULFUR-OXIDIZING BACTERIA
THIOBACILLUS FERROXIDANS