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. 1987 Jun;53(6):1387–1390. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.6.1387-1390.1987

Methods for Isolation of Auxotrophic Mutants of Methanobacterium ivanovii and Initial Characterization of Acetate Auxotrophs

Mahendra K Jain 1, J Gregory Zeikus 1,*
PMCID: PMC203876  PMID: 16347369

Abstract

To develop a biochemical genetic approach to understanding cell carbon synthesis or metabolic pathways in methanogens, Methanobacterium ivanovii was selected as a model organism for genetic manipulation studies. The organism displayed a colony size of 3 to 6 mm in less than 2 weeks and had a plating efficiency of about 90%, which made it suitable for replica plating. Mutagenesis and selection techniques were developed for selection of acetate auxotrophs. Chemical mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate, followed by enrichment with bacitracin as a selective agent, resulted in stable acetate auxotrophs. M. ivanovii was very sensitive to UV, but UV-induced acetate auxotrophs were unstable and reverted within two to four transfers. The acetate auxotrophs were analyzed in relation to wild type for carbon monoxide dehydrogenase enzyme activity.

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Selected References

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

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