Open AccessSulfonate‐sulfur can be assimilated for fermentative growth
Author(s) -
Chien ChihChing,
Leadbetter E.R.,
Godchaux Walter
Publication year - 1995
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.1574-6968.1995.tb07578.x
Subject(s) - sulfur , sulfur metabolism , chemistry , assimilation (phonology) , bacteria , sulfonate , sulfate , taurine , biochemistry , anaerobic exercise , anaerobic bacteria , biology , organic chemistry , amino acid , sodium , physiology , philosophy , genetics , linguistics
Bacterial assimilation of sulfonate‐sulfur under anaerobic conditions has been demonstrated. Two different bacteria able to grow fermentatively using sulfonate‐sulfur as sole sulfur source were isolated by enrichment culture; neither were able to utilize sulfonates as sole source of carbon and energy for growth. The isolate of Clostridium pasteurianum assimilated the sulfur of isethionate (2‐hydroxyethanesulfonate), taurine (2‐aminoethanesulfonate), or p ‐toluenesulfonate. A facultatively fermentative Klebsiella strain did not utilize the sulfur of any of these sulfonates, but assimilated cysteate‐sulfur; in contrast, when growing by aerobic respiration, the range of sulfonates able to serve as sulfur source was greater. Both bacteria displayed a preferential utilization of sulfate‐sulfur to that of the sulfonates tested. Thus, bacterial assimilation of sulfonate‐sulfur during anaerobic growth has direct parallels with features until now recognized only for aerobic assimilatory processes.