Open AccessHeavy metal inhibition of methanogenesis by Methanospirillum hungatei GP1
Author(s) -
Pankhania I.P.,
Robinson J.P.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb00741.x
Subject(s) - formate , formate dehydrogenase , cadmium , zinc , methanogenesis , chemistry , mercury (programming language) , chelation , copper , cadmium acetate , nuclear chemistry , incubation , hydrogenase , metal , inorganic chemistry , methane , biochemistry , enzyme , catalysis , organic chemistry , computer science , programming language
Washed whole cells of Methanospirillum hungatei incubated in TES buffer retained methanogenic activity in the absence of any reducing agents. Washed cells grown with 80% H 2 ‐20% CO 2 and acetate produced methane from H 2 /CO 2 and 50 mM formate at 1.1 to 1.8 and 15 μmol methane · h −1 · mg −1 protein, respectively. Cadmium at a concentration of 15 μM and 50 μM mercury, copper or zinc completely inhibited methane production from H 2 /CO 2 by M. hungatei . The chelating agent, EDTA, protected the cells from inhibition by cadmium but acetate and citrate did not. The activity of formate dehydrogenase and hydrogenase remaining in cells after incubation with copper, mercury, zinc or cadmium was reduced with formate dehydrogenase being the more sensitive.