Galacturonate Metabolism in Anaerobic Chemostat Enrichment Cultures: Combined Fermentation and Acetogenesis by the Dominant sp. nov. “Candidatus Galacturonibacter soehngenii”

This study ond -galacturonate metabolism by open, mixed-culture enrichments under anaerobic,d -galacturonate-limited chemostat conditions shows a stable and efficient fermentation ofd -galacturonate into acetate as the dominant organic fermentation product. This fermentation stoichiometry and population analyses provide a valuable baseline for interpretation of the conversion of pectin-rich agricultural feedstocks by mixed microbial cultures. Moreover, the results of this study provide a reference for studies on the microbial metabolism ofd -galacturonate under different cultivation regimes.