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Immobilization of the methanogenic bacterium Methanosarcina barkeri
Author(s) -
Scherer P.,
Kluge M.,
Klein J.,
Sahm H.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260230513
Subject(s) - methanosarcina barkeri , methanol , methanogen , chemistry , methanogenesis , methanosarcina , chromatography , catalysis , methanomicrobiales , diffusion , bioreactor , particle size , nuclear chemistry , methane , biochemistry , organic chemistry , physics , thermodynamics
Whole cells of the methanogen Methanosarcina barkeri were immobilized in an alginate network which was crosslinked with Ca 2+ ions. The rates of methanol conversion to methane of entrapped cells were found to be in the same range as the corresponding rates of free cells. Furthermore, immobilized cells were active for a longer period than free cells. The particle size of the spherical alginate beads (1.2 mm‐3.7 mm ϕ) and thus diffusion had no obvious influence on the turnover of methanol. The half‐value period for methanol conversion activity determined in a buffer medium was approximately 4 days at 37°C for entrapped cells. The apparent K m value K m ′for such cells was nearly 140m M and the V max value was about 1.2 μmol methanol/min/mg entrapped protein. Therefore the high rates of methanol degradation measured, e.g., 0.5 μmol methanol/min/mg entrapped protein, indicated that the immobilization technique preserved the cellular functions of this methanogenic bacterium.