Carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and formate metabolism during methanogenesis from acetate by thermophilic cultures of Methanosarcina and Methanothrix strains

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6967666

Zinder, S H; Anguish, T ^[1]

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1. Cornell Univ., Itaca, NY (United States)

CO and H{sub 2} have been implicated in methanogenesis from acetate, but it is unclear whether they are directly involved in methanogenesis or electron transfer in acetotrophic methanogens. The authors compared metabolism of H{sub 2}, CO, and formate by cultures of the thermophilic acetotrophic methanogens Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1 and Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1. M. thermophila accumulated H{sub 2} to partial pressures of 40 to 70 Pa, as has been previously reported for this and other Methanosarcina cultures. In contrast, Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1 accumulated H{sub 2} to maximum partial pressures near 1 Pa. Growing cultures of Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1 initially accumulated CO, which reached partial pressures near 0.6 Pa during the middle of methanogenesis; this was followed by a decrease in CO partial pressure to less than 0.01 Pa by the end of methanogenesis. Late-exponential-phase cultures of Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1, in which the CO partial pressure was decreased , accumulated CO to 0.16 Pa, whereas cultures to which ca. 0.5 Pa of CO was added consumed CO until it reached this partial pressure. Results suggest that CO plays a role in Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1 similar to that of H{sub 2} in M. thermophila and are consistent with the conclusion that CO is an intermediate in a catabolic or anabolic pathway in Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1; however, they could also be explained by passive equilibrium of CO with a metabolic intermediate.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-85ER13370
• OSTI ID: 6967666
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 58:10; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090900* -- Biomass Fuels-- Processing-- (1990-)
ACETATES
ALKANES
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CELL CULTURES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
FORMATES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
METABOLISM
METHANE
METHANOGENIC BACTERIA
MICROORGANISMS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
THERMOPHILIC CONDITIONS