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. 2001 Mar;67(3):1363-5.
doi: 10.1128/AEM.67.3.1363-1365.2001.

Acetate oxidation coupled to Fe(iii) reduction in hyperthermophilic microorganisms

J M Tor  1 , K Kashefi, D R Lovley
Affiliations

Acetate oxidation coupled to Fe(iii) reduction in hyperthermophilic microorganisms

J M Tor et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2001 Mar.

Abstract

No hyperthermophilic microorganisms have previously been shown to anaerobically oxidize acetate, the key extracellular intermediate in the anaerobic oxidation of organic matter. Here we report that two hyperthermophiles, Ferroglobus placidus and "Geoglobus ahangari," grow at 85 degrees C by oxidizing acetate to carbon dioxide, with Fe(III) serving as the electron acceptor. These results demonstrate that acetate could potentially be metabolized within the hot microbial ecosystems in which hyperthermophiles predominate, rather than diffusing to cooler environments prior to degradation as has been previously proposed.

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Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
Growth of F. placidus at 85°C with acetate as an electron donor and poorly crystalline Fe(III) as an electron acceptor. The results are the means of triplicate cultures; error bars indicate the standard deviations.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
Growth of “G. ahangari” at 85°C with acetate as an electron donor and poorly crystalline Fe(III) as an electron acceptor. The results are the means of triplicate cultures; error bars indicate the standard deviations.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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