Changes in metabolism and cell size of the anaerobic bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium 0078A at the onset of growth in continuous culture.

Abstract

Initial metabolism of Selenomonas ruminantium 0078A in continuous culture was characterized by a high lactate and low volatile fatty acid production; this was associated with poor growth as determined by bacterial dry weight production, yet individual cells were considerably larger than those of the inoculum. Biomass production increased, cell size decreased and the fermentation pattern reverted to the characteristic low lactate and high volatile fatty acid production after approximately 90 h growth.