Biology of anaerobic bacteria

Sulfate reducing bacteria of the genus DESULFOVIBRIO and homoacetogenic bacteria of the genus SPOROMUSA were sensitive to changes of hydrogen concentrations during the growth on an organic substrate. Increase of hydrogen concentrations competitively inhibited the organic substrate degradation and decrease of hydrogen concentration inhibited the respiration and the reduction of the external electron acceptor. Such hydrogen sensitive strains which seem to intermediarily produce and consume hydrogen ("hydrogen-cycling") were cultivated in the presence of a second hydrogen oxidizer. Both organisms competed for the hydrogen excreted by the first strain. The competence for H2-oxidation of the strains depended not only on hydrogenase affinities but also on the free energy change of H2-oxidation differing with the respective electron acceptors. (Résumé d'auteur

Trophic relationships between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum and their metabolism of glucose and citrate

Glucose and citrate are two major carbon sources in fruits or fruit juices such as orange juice. Their metabolism and the microorganisms involved in their degradation were studied by inoculating with an aliquot of fermented orange juice a synthetic model medium containing glucose and citrate. At pH 3.6, their degradation led, first, to the formation of ethanol due to the activity of yeasts fermenting glucose and, eventually, to the formation of acetate resulting from the activity of lactobacilli. The yeast population always outcompeted the lactobacilli even when the fermented orange juice used as inoculum was mixed with fermented beet leaves containing a wider variety of lactic acid bacteria. The evolution of the medium remained similar between pH 3.3 and 5.0. At pH 3.0 or below, the fermentation of citrate was totally inhibited. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum were identified as the only dominant microorganisms. The evolution of the model medium with the complex microbial community was successfully reconstituted with a defined coculture of S. cerevisiae and L. plantarum. The study of the fermentation of the defined model medium with a reconstituted microbial community allows us to better understand the behavior not only of fermented orange juice but also of many other fruit fermentations utilized for the production of alcoholic beverages

Socrates intensive programme. Final report "Management and treatment of polluted soils in Europe"

*INRA Centre de Lille laboratoire Sols et Environnement (FRA) Diffusion du document : INRA Centre de Lille laboratoire Sols et Environnement (FRA)International audienc

Clostridium quinii sp. no., a new saccharolytic anaerobic bacterium isolated from granular sludge.

International audienceA new species of sporulating saccharolytic anaerobe, designated as Clostridium quinii sp. nov., is described. A gram-positive strain BS1, was isolated from the granular metanogenic sludge (UASB) from a waste-water treatment plant at a sugar refinery. The strain exhibits a series of morphological stages, developing from a spore to a small rod to a motile rod (peritrichous flagella) in the exponential growth phase, and then swelling to form cigar-shaped cells, exhibiting tumbling movements, in the late exponential growth phase before finally becoming large nonmotile ovoid cells in the stationary phase. Swelling occurs as a result of glucose being taken up and stored as a glycogen-like substance. The main fermentation products when growing on glucose is H2, CO2, formate, acetate and ethanol as well as small amounts of butyrate during exponential growth. Lactate is formed during the stationary phase, when glucose is abundant. Optimal conditions for growth is 40–45°C and pH of around 7.4. The type strain BS1 contains 28.0% mol G+C