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. 1981 Sep;42(3):439–445. doi: 10.1128/aem.42.3.439-445.1981

Formation of N,N-Dimethylglycine, Acetic Acid, and Butyric Acid from Betaine by Eubacterium limosum

E Müller 1, K Fahlbusch 1, R Walther 1, G Gottschalk 1
PMCID: PMC244033  PMID: 16345842

Abstract

Two bacterial strains that grow anaerobically on betaine were isolated from enrichment cultures and identified as strains of Eubacterium limosum. In a mineral medium supplemented with yeast extract and Casitone, the doubling time of E. limosum strain 11A on betaine was 6 h at 37°C. The molar growth yield amounted to 9 g of dry cell mass per mol. Betaine was fermented in accordance with the following equation: 7 betaine + 2 CO2 → 7 N,N-dimethylglycine + 1.5 acetate + 1.5 butyrate. E. limosum also grew on methanol and choline. The former was converted to acetate and butyrate, and the latter was converted to N,N-dimethylethanolamine, acetate, and butyrate. The conditions for the quantitative determination of N,N-dimethylglycine by capillary tube isotachophoresis have been determined.

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Selected References

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