Open AccessIsolation and characterization of a thermophilic, acetate‐utilizing methanogenic bacterium
Author(s) -
Ahring Birgitte K.,
Westermann Peter
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.tb01373.x
Subject(s) - methanogenesis , thermophile , formate , bacteria , methane , chemistry , enrichment culture , substrate (aquarium) , microbiology and biotechnology , acetogenesis , biochemistry , biology , chromatography , organic chemistry , enzyme , catalysis , ecology , genetics
A thermophilic acetate‐decarboxylating methanogenic bacterium was isolated from a laboratory‐scale 60°C sludge digestor. Cells form straight filaments with flat to blunted ends normally consisting of 2–3 cells held together by a sheath‐like outer cell wall. The organism uses acetate, H 2 ‐CO 2 and formate for methanogenesis and growth. With acetate as the sole methanogenic substrate, almost all of the radioactivity from methyl‐labelled acetate appeared as methane. Acetate was converted to methane in equimolar amounts with a doubling time of 3 days.