Open AccessAnaerobic degradation of long‐chain dicarboxylic acids by methanogenic enrichment cultures
Author(s) -
Matthies C.,
Schink B.
Publication year - 1993
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.1574-6968.1993.tb06382.x
Subject(s) - propionate , decarboxylation , butyrate , degradation (telecommunications) , fermentation , adipate , chemistry , anaerobic exercise , methane , enrichment culture , carbon fibers , methanogenesis , valerate , anaerobic digestion , biochemistry , organic chemistry , biology , bacteria , polymer chemistry , catalysis , physiology , telecommunications , genetics , materials science , composite number , computer science , composite material
Methanogenic enrichment cultures fermented the long‐chain dicarboxylates adipate, pimelate, suberate, azelate, and sebacate (C 6 ‐C 10 ) stoichiometrically to acetate and methane. After several transfers, the cultures contained cells of only a few morphologically distinguishable types. During anaerobic degradation of dicarboxylic acids with even‐numbered carbon atoms, propionate accumulated intermediately, and butyrate was the intermediate product of degradation of those with an odd number of carbon atoms. Degradation of the long‐chain dicarboxylates depended strictly on the presence of hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The primary attack in these processes was β‐oxidation rather than decarboxylation. A general scheme of anaerobic degradation of long‐chain dicarboxylic acids has been deduced from these results.