Abstract
A strictly anaerobic, gram-positive, sporeforming, rod-like, motile bacterium was enriched from rabbit feces, and isolated using carbon monoxide as sole source of energy and carbon. The isolate metabolizes CO with ethanol, acetate and CO2 as end-products. Other substrates used as carbon and energy sources include CO2 plus H2, pyruvate, xylose, arabinose, fructose, rhamnose, and l-glutamate. The optimum temperature for growth is 37°C. The optimum pH for chemolithotrophic growth lies around 5.8 to 6.0 Sulfate is not reduced. Growth is inhibited either by penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracyclin or ampicillin, each at 100 μg per ml. The isolate has a DNA-base composition of 25.9±0.6% guanine plus cytosine. The isolate represents a new species of Clostridium for which the name Clostridium autoethanogenum is proposed. The type strain is strain JA1-1
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AndreesenJR, GottschalkG, SchlegelHG (1970) Clostridium formicoaceticum nov. spec. Isolation, description and distinction from C. aceticum and C. thermoaceticum. Arch Mikrobiol 72: 154–174
Beckers G, Naveau H, Nyns EJ, Donlon B, Colleran E, Albagnac G, Roustan JL, Samain E (1988) Production of ethanol and other molecules by anaerobic fermentation in fixed-cell reactors of gas produced by lignocellulose gasification. In: Proc. Euroforum New Energies 1988 CEC Contractor's Mtg, Saarbrücken HS Stephens and Assoc Publ. for CEC Luxemburg 3: 534–542
BraunM, MayerF, GottschalkG (1981) Clostridium aceticum (wieringae), a microorganism producing acetic acid from molecular hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Arch Microbiol 128: 288–293
BrysonMF, DrakeHL (1988) A reevaluation of the metabolic potential of Clostridium formicoaceticum. Abstr. Ann Meet Am Soc Microbiol I 107: 198
BuckJD (1982) Nonstaining (KOH) method for determination of Gram reactions of marine bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 44: 992–993
CarloneGM, ValadezMJ, PickettMJ (1983) Methods for distinguishing Gram-positive from Gram-negative bacteria. J Clin Microbiol 16: 1157–1159
CatoEP, GeorgeWL, FinegoldSM (1986) Genus Clostridium prazmawski 1880, 23AL. In: SneatPHA (ed) Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology, vol 2. William & Wilkins, Baltimore, pp 1141–1200
DanielsL, FuchsG, ThauerRK, ZeikusJG (1977) Carbon monoxide oxidation by methanogenic bacteria. J Bacteriol 132: 118–126
DashekviczMP, UffenRL (1979) Identification of carbon monoxide-metabolizing bacterium as a strain of Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa (Molisch), van Niel. Int J Syst Bacteriol 29: 145–148
FontaineFE, PetersonWH, McCoyE, JohnsonMJ (1942) A new type of glucose fermentation by Clostridium thermoaceticum nov. sp. J Bacteriol 43: 701–715
GeerligsG, AldrichHC, HarderW, DiekertG (1987) Isolation and characterisation of a carbon monoxide utilizing strain of the acetogen Peptostreptococcus productus. Arch Microbiol 148: 305–313
GenthnerBRS, BryantMP (1982) Growth of Eubacterium limosum with carbon monoxide as the energy source. Appl Environ Microbiol 43: 70–74
GenthnerBRS, BryantMP (1987) Additional characteristics of one-carbon-compound utilisation by Eubacterium limosum and Acetobacterium woodii. Appl Environ Microbiol 53: 471–476
GenthnerBRS, DavisCL, BryantMP (1981) Features of rumen and sewage sludge strains of Eubacterium limosum, a methanol and H2−CO2-utilizing species. Appl Environ Microbiol 42: 12–19
HungateRE (1969) A roll tube method for cultivation of strict anaerobes. In: HarrisJR, RibbonsDW (eds) Methods in microbiology, vol 3B, Academic Press, New York, pp 117–132
KennesC, DubourguierHC, AlbagnacG, NaveauH, VeigaM, NynsEJ (1991) Fermentation of citrate by Lactobacillus plantarum in the presence of a yeast under acid conditions. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 35: 369–372
KerbyR, ZeikusJW (1983) Growth of Clostridium thermoaceticum on H2/CO2 or CO as energy source. Curr Microbiol 8: 27–30
KlassonKT, ElmoreBB, VegaJL, AckersonMD, ClausenEC, GaddyJL (1990) Biological production of liquid and gaseous fuels from synthesis gas. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 24/25: 857–873
KrumholzLR, BryantMP (1985) Clostridium pfennigii sp. nov. uses methoxyl groups of monobenzenoids and produces butyrate. Int J Syst Bacteriol 35: 454–456
LevyPF, BarnardGW, Garcia-MartinezDV, SandersonJE, WiseDL (1981) Organic acid production from CO2/H2 and CO/H2 by mixed-culture anaerobes. Biotechnol Bioeng 23: 2293–2306
LorowitzWH, BryantMP (1984) Peptostreptococcus productus strain that grows rapidly with CO as the energy source. Appl Environ Microbiol 47: 961–964
McInterneyMJ, BryantMP, PfennigN (1979) Anaerobic bacterium that degrades fatty acids in syntrophic association with methanogens. Arch Microbiol 122: 129–135
MillerTL, WolinMJ (1974) A serum bottle modification of the Hungate technique for cultivating obligate anaerobes. Appl Microbiol 27: 985–987
O'BrienJM, WolkinRH, MoenchTT, MorganJB, ZeikusJG (1984) Association of hydrogen metabolism with unitotrophic or mixotrophic growth of Methanosarcina barkeri on carbon monoxide. J Bacteriol 158: 373–375
PrinsRA, LankhorstA (1977) Synthesis of acetate from CO2 in the cecum of some rodents. FEMS Microbiol Lett 1: 255–258
SavageMD, WuZ, DanielSL, LundieLL, DrakeHL (1987) Carbon monoxide dependent chemolithotrophic growth of Clostridium thermoautotrophicum. Appl Environ Microbiol 53: 1902–1906
SvetlichnyVA, SokolovaTG, GerhardtN, RingpfeilM, KostrikinaNA, ZavarzinGA (1991) Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans gen. nov., sp. nov., a CO-utilizing thermopholic anaerobic bacterium from hydrothermal environments of Kunashir Island. Syst Appl Microbiol 14: 254–260
TouzelJP, PetroffD, AlbagnacG (1985) Isolation and characteristation of a new thermophilic Methanosarcina, the strain CHTI-55. Syst Appl Microbiol 6: 66–71
UffenRL (1976) Anaerobic growth of a Rhodopseudomonas species in the dark with carbon monoxide as sole carbon and energy substrate. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 73: 3298–3302
VegaJL, PrietoS, ElmoreBB, ClausenEC, GaddyJL (1989) The biological production of ethanol from synthesis gas. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 20/21: 781–797
Wauthoz P, El Lioui M, Decallonne J (1990) Caractérisation des contaminants bactériens des aliments par analyse chromatographique des acides gras: possibilités et limites de la méthode. Le Microbiologiste face aux nouvelles technologies appliquées aux aliments, Colloque des 14 et 15 mars. Institut Pasteur, Paris, pp 310–316
WiegelJ, BraunM, GottschalkG (1981) Clostridium thermoautotrophicum species novum, a thermophile producing acetate from molecular hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Curr Microbiol 5: 255–260
WordenRM, GrethleinAJ, ZeikusJG, DattaR (1989) Butyrate production from carbon monoxide by Butyribacterium methylotrophicum. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 20/21: 687–698
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abrini, J., Naveau, H. & Nyns, EJ. Clostridium autoethanogenum, sp. nov., an anaerobic bacterium that produces ethanol from carbon monoxide. Arch. Microbiol. 161, 345–351 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303591
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303591