Fermentative degradation of glutarate via decarboxylation by newly isolated strictly anaerobic bacteria

Abstract

Two strains of new strictly anaerobic, gram-negative bacteria were enriched and isolated from a freshwater (strain WoG13) and a saltwater (strain CuG11) anoxic sediment with glutarate as sole energy source. Strain WoG13 formed spores whereas strain CuG11 did not. Both strains were rod-shaped, motile bacteria growing in carbonate-buffered, sulfide-reduced mineral medium supplemented with 2% of rumen fluid. Both strains fermented glutarate to butyrate, isobutyrate, CO2, and small amounts of acetate. With methylsuccinate, the same products were formed, and succinate was fermented to propionate and CO2. No sugars, amino acids or other organic acids were used as substrates. Molar growth yields (Ys) were very small (0.5-0.9 g cell dry mass/mol dicarboxylate). Cells of strain WoG13 contained no cytochromes, and the DNA base ratio was 49.0 +/- 1.4 mol% guanine-plus-cytosine. Enzyme activities involved in glutarate degradation could be demonstrated in cell-free extracts of strain WoG13. A pathway of glutarate fermentation via decarboxylation of glutaconyl-CoA to crotonyl-CoA is suggested which forms butyrate and partly isobutyrate by subsequent isomerization.