Skip to main content
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1994 Apr;60(4):1370–1373. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.4.1370-1373.1994

Acetate Synthesis in Soil from a Bavarian Beech Forest

Kirsten Küsel 1, Harold L Drake 1,*
PMCID: PMC201485  PMID: 16349243

Abstract

Soil obtained from a beech forest formed significant amounts of acetate when incubated in a bicarbonate-buffered, mineral salt solution under anaerobic conditions at both 5 and 20°C (21 and 38 g of acetate per kg [dry weight] of soil, respectively). At 20°C, following an 18-day lag period, rates of 0.07 mmol of acetate synthesized per g (dry weight) of soil per day were observed. Acetate was not subject to immediate turnover; methane and hydrogen were not formed during the time intervals (5°C, 335 days; 20°C, 95 days) evaluated. The synthesis of acetate from endogenous materials was coincident with acetogenic potentials, i.e., the capacity to catalyze the H2-dependent synthesis of acetate. Hydrogen consumption was not directed towards the synthesis of methane. Collectively, these results suggest that acetogenesis may be an underlying microbial activity of this forest soil.

Full text

PDF
1370

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Breznak J. A., Kane M. D. Microbial H2/CO2 acetogenesis in animal guts: nature and nutritional significance. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 1990 Dec;7(3-4):309–313. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1990.tb04929.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Daniel S. L., Hsu T., Dean S. I., Drake H. L. Characterization of the H2- and CO-dependent chemolithotrophic potentials of the acetogens Clostridium thermoaceticum and Acetogenium kivui. J Bacteriol. 1990 Aug;172(8):4464–4471. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.8.4464-4471.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Jones J. G., Simon B. M. Interaction of acetogens and methanogens in anaerobic freshwater sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Apr;49(4):944–948. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.4.944-948.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Lovley D. R., Klug M. J. Methanogenesis from methanol and methylamines and acetogenesis from hydrogen and carbon dioxide in the sediments of a eutrophic lake. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Apr;45(4):1310–1315. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.4.1310-1315.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES