Abstract
Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus was grown in a mineral salts medium at 65° C in a fermenter gassed with H2 and CO2, which were the sole carbon and energy sources. Evolution of growth parameters during batch culture experiments showed the existence of an uncoupling phenomenon. The growth was then studied using a continuous technique and steady states for various gas flow rates were obtained. Y CH 4and the maintenance coefficient varied with the gas input. The maximum Y CH 4 determined for Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus was 3.33 g·mol-1 CH4. An excess of energy and carbon sources induced uncoupling of growth.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balch WE, Fox GE, Magrum LJ, Woese CP, Wolfe RS (1979) Methanogens: Reevaluation of a unique biological group. Microbiol Rev 43:260–296
Belaich JP (1980) Growth metabolism in bacteria. Beezer AE (ed) Biological microcalorimetry, Academic Press, pp 1–42
Belay N, Sparling R, Daniels L (1984) Dinitrogen fixation by a thermophilic methanogenic bacterium. Nature 312:286–288
Chua HB, Robinson JP (1983) Formate-limited growth of Methanobacterium formicicum in steady-state cultures. Arch Microbiol 135:158–160
Corder RE, Hook LA, Larkin JM, Frea JI (1983) Isolation, characterization of two new methane-producing cocci: Methanogenium olentangyi, sp. nov. and Methanococcus deltae, sp. nov. Arch Microbiol 134:28–32
Dermoun Z, Boussand R, Cotten R, Belaich JP (1985) A new batch calorimeter for aerobic growth studies. Biotechnol Bioeng 27:996–1005
Huber H, Thomm M, König H, Thies G, Stetter KO (1982) Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus, a novel thermophilic lithotrophic methanogen. Arch Microbiol 132:47–50
Huser BA, Wuhrmann K, Zehnder AJB, (1982) Methanothrix soehngenii gen. no. sp. nov., a new acetotrophic non-hydrogen-oxidizing methane bacterium. Arch Microbiol 132:1–9
Jones JB, Stadtman TC (1977) Methanococcus vannielii: culture and effects of selenium and tungsten on growth. J Bact 130:1404–1406
Jones WJ, Paynter MJB, Gupta R (1983) Characterization of Methanococcus maripaludis sp. nov., a new methanogen isolated from salt marsh sediment. Arch Microbiol 135:91–97
Jones WJ, Leigh JA, Mayer F, Woese CR, Wolfe RS (1983) Methanococcus jannaschii sp. nov/, an extremely thermophilic methanogen from a submarine hydrothermal vent. Arch Microbiol 136:254–261
König H, Stetter KO (1982) Isolation and characterization of Methanolobus tindarius, sp. nov., a coccoid methanogen growing only on methanol and methylamines. Zbl Bakt Hyg. I. Abt Orig C 3:478–490
Neijssel OM, Tempest DW (1976) Bioenergetic aspects of aerobic growth of Klebsiella aerogenes NCTC 418 in carbon-limited and carbon-sufficient chemostat culture. Arch Microbiol 107:215–221
Rivard CJ, Smith PH (1982) Isolation and characterization of a thermophilic marine methanogenic bacterium, Methanogenium thermophilicum sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 32:430–436
Rivard CJ, Henson JM, Thomas MV, Smith PH (1983) Isolation and characterization of Methanomicrobium paynteri sp. nov., a mesophilic methanogen isolated from marine sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 46:484–490
Schönheit P, Moll J, Thauer RK (1980) Growth parameters (K s, K s, μmax, Y s) of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Arch Microbiol 127:59–65
Sowers KR, Ferry JG (1983) Isolation and characterization of a methylotrophic marine methanogen, Methanococcoides methylutens gen. nov., sp. nov. Appl Environ Microbiol 45:684–690
Sowers KR, Baron SF, Ferry JG (1984) Methanosarcina acetivorans sp. nov., an acetotrophic methane producing bacterium isolated from marine sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 47:971–978
Stouthamer AH, Bettenhaussen CW (1976) Energetic aspects of anaerobic growth of Aerobacter aerogenes in complex medium. Arch Microbiol 111:21–23
Taylor GT, Pirt J (1977) Nutrition and factors limiting the growth of a methanogenic bacterium (Methanobacterium therinoautotrophicum). Arch Microbiol 113:17–22
Tempest DW, Neijssel OM (1984) The status of Y ATP and maintenance energy as biologically interpretable phenomena. Ann Rev Microbiol 38:459–486
Thauer RK, Jungermann K, Decker K (1977) Energy conservation in chemotrophic anaerobic bacteria. Bacteriol Rev 41:100–180
Traoré AS, Gaudin C, Hatchikian CE, Le Gall J, Belaich JP (1983) Energetics of growth of a defined mixed culture of Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Methanosarcina barkeri: Maintenance energy coefficient to the sulfate-reducing organism in the absence and presence of its partner. J Bacteriol 155:1260–1264
Weimer PJ, Zeikus JG (1978) One carbon metabolism in methanogenic bacteria; cellular characterization and growth of Methanosarcina barkeri. Arch Microbiol 119:49–57
Wildgruber G, Thomm M, König H, Ober K, Ricchiuto T, Stetter KO (1982) Methanoplanus limicola, a plate-shaped methanogen representing a novel family, the methanoplanaceae. Arch Microbiol 132:31–36
Zabel HP, König H, Winter J (1984) Isolation and characterization of a new coccoid methanogen, Methanogenium tatii spec. nov. from a solfataric field on Mount Tatio. Arch Microbiol 137:308–315
Zehnder AJB, Wuhrmann K (1977) Physiology of a Methanobacterium strain AZ. Arch Microbiol 111:199–205
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fardeau, ML., Belaich, JP. Energetics of the growth of Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus . Arch. Microbiol. 144, 381–385 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409888
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409888