MadSci Network: Microbiology
Query:

Re: Does Syntrophomonas produce hydrogen by the oxidation of butyrate to...

Date: Wed Dec 15 10:19:24 2004
Posted By: Jerry McCormick, Staff, Chemistry, Independent Consultant
Area of science: Microbiology
ID: 1097531048.Mi
Message:

Anna:

Sorry, I cannot give specific answers to your questions but I can generalize some. Without doing any research, I assume that Syntrophmonas is a component of the digestive tract of ruminants and as such, the oxidation of butryate to acetate (and even the further oxidation of acetate to C02 and water )is a reasonable source of ATP, which in turn can do whatever the organism needs to do for growth and survival. If hydrogen is a product of Syntrophomonas under rumen conditions, then this is presumably an activity essential to its survival and growth.

Similarly, among the several methanobacteria there may well be a member that can utilize hydrogen (or even carbon monoxide) in the production of methane.

As to whether any two microorganisms can thrive or even survive in an anaerobic digestor--this is a question the answer to which depends on the evironment in a given anaerobic digestor, such as pH, nutrients available, temperature, turnover rate, etc and so I don't think there is a definitive answer to your question. The answer then is "possibly". This is about the best I can offer.

Sincerely,

J. R. D. McCormick


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