Abstract
The oxidation of ethanol to acetate by cultures of Methunobacillus omelianskii was found by Barker to be dependent upon carbon dioxide (1) ; using C140Z, Stadtman and Barker demonstrated conclusively that carbon dioxide was the precursor of methane (2). Recently Johns and Barker have reported hydrogen formation from ethanol by resting cells of M. omelianskii in the absence of carbon dioxide (3). The mechanism of carbon dioxide reduction to methane by M. omelianslcii as well as the mechanism of methane formation by other organisms is unknown. Current knowledge of the nutrition and fermentative patterns of the methane bacteria has been reviewed by Barker (4). The present communication is concerned with the formation of methane by cell-free extracts of &!f. omeliunskii; a brief report of some of these findings has appeared (5).
Highlights
The desiredgasatmosbacillus omelianskii wasfound by Barker to be dependentupon phere was provided from high purity gas cylinders at a rate carbondioxide (1); using C140ZS, tadtman and Barker demon- of 300 cc per minute to a manifold connected to six flasks; strated conclusively that carbon dioxide was the precursorof additions to the reaction mixture in each flask were madeby methane (2)
Ethanol is the substrate for growth, it was ineffective for methane formation when added to extracts of M. omelianskii
Serine, or O-phosphoserine substituted for ATP and carbon dioxide
Summary
From the Departments of Microbiology and Dairy Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois (Received for publication, April 8, 1963). The desiredgasatmosbacillus omelianskii wasfound by Barker to be dependentupon phere was provided from high purity gas cylinders at a rate carbondioxide (1); using C140ZS, tadtman and Barker demon- of 300 cc per minute to a manifold connected to six flasks; strated conclusively that carbon dioxide was the precursorof additions to the reaction mixture in each flask were madeby methane (2). Johns and Barker have reported hy- removingthe sidearm asgassingcontinued. The mechanismof carbon Illinois) and were passedthrough a heated coppertrain before dioxide reduction to methaneby M. omelianslciai swell as the contact with the reaction mixture. Extract was placedin the mechanismof methaneformation by other organismsis unknown. Main compartment, other componentsbeing tipped from the Current knowledgeof the nutrition and fermentative patterns sidearm to start the reaction after isolation of the flask.
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