Abstract
Rates of nitrification and organic C production were determined in batch and chemostat cultures of marine nitrifying bacteria; two NH +4 -oxidizing species and one NO −2 -oxidizing spezies. With increasing age in batch cultures and with decreasing flow rates in chemostats, cellular organic C and N concentrations declined while the intracellular ratio of C:N remained constant. With decreasing flow rates in chemostats, there was a reduction in (a) carboxylating enzyme activity per unit of cellular organic C (the potential for chemoautotrophic CO2 fixation), and (b) the yield of organic C. For both NH +4 and NO −2 oxidizers, rates of nitrification and C yield were lowest at very slow chemostat growth rates, when compared with optimal growth rates in batch cultures. For both NH +4 and NO −2 -oxidizing species, the stoichiometric relationship between nitrification and organic C production did not remain constant and appeared to be dependent on the availability of the inorganic N substrate. The organic C yield from NH +4 oxidation and hence the free energy efficiency declined with increasing age in batch cultures and with decreasing flow rates in chemostats. The C yield from NO −2 oxidation and the free energy efficiency at slow chemostat growth rates was also lower than that at the optimal growth rate in batch culture.
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Glover, H.E. The relationship between inorganic nitrogen oxidation and organic carbon production in batch and chemostat cultures of marine nitrifying bacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 142, 45–50 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409235
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409235