Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1981 Dec;42(6):985–992. doi: 10.1128/aem.42.6.985-992.1981

Evidence for Coexistence of Two Distinct Functional Groups of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Salt Marsh Sediment

Ibrahim M Banat 1, E Börje Lindström 2, David B Nedwell 1, M Talaat Balba 1
PMCID: PMC244143  PMID: 16345910

Abstract

Oxidation of acetate in salt marsh sediment was inhibited by the addition of fluoroacetate, and also by the addition of molybdate, an inhibitor of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Molybdate had no effect upon the metabolism of acetate in a freshwater sediment in the absence of sulfate. The inhibitory effect of molybdate on acetate turnover in the marine sediment seemed to be because of its inhibiting sulfate-reducing bacteria which oxidized acetate to carbon dioxide. Sulfide was not recovered from sediment in the presence of molybdate added as an inhibitor of sulfate-reducing bacteria, but sulfide was recovered quantitatively even in the presence of molybdate by the addition of the strong reducing agent titanium chloride before acidification of the sediment. Reduction of sulfate to sulfide by the sulfate-reducing bacteria in the sediment was only partially inhibited by fluoroacetate, but completely inhibited by molybdate addition. This was interpreted as showing the presence of two functional groups of sulfate-reducing bacteria—one group oxidizing acetate, and another group probably oxidizing hydrogen.

Full text

PDF
985

Selected References

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

  1. Abram J. W., Nedwell D. B. Hydrogen as a substrate for methanogenesis and sulphate reduction in anaerobic saltmarsh sediment. Arch Microbiol. 1978 Apr 27;117(1):93–97. doi: 10.1007/BF00689357. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Abram J. W., Nedwell D. B. Inhibition of methanogenesis by sulphate reducing bacteria competing for transferred hydrogen. Arch Microbiol. 1978 Apr 27;117(1):89–92. doi: 10.1007/BF00689356. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Badziong W., Thauer R. K., Zeikus J. G. Isolation and characterization of Desulfovibrio growing on hydrogen plus sulfate as the sole energy source. Arch Microbiol. 1978 Jan 23;116(1):41–49. doi: 10.1007/BF00408732. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bryant M. P., Wolin E. A., Wolin M. J., Wolfe R. S. Methanobacillus omelianskii, a symbiotic association of two species of bacteria. Arch Mikrobiol. 1967;59(1):20–31. doi: 10.1007/BF00406313. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Iannotti E. L., Kafkewitz D., Wolin M. J., Bryant M. P. Glucose fermentation products in Ruminococcus albus grown in continuous culture with Vibrio succinogenes: changes caused by interspecies transfer of H 2 . J Bacteriol. 1973 Jun;114(3):1231–1240. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.3.1231-1240.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. King G. M., Wiebe W. J. Tracer analysis of methanogenesis in salt marsh soils. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1980 Apr;39(4):877–881. doi: 10.1128/aem.39.4.877-881.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Laanbroek H. J., Pfennig N. Oxidation of short-chain fatty acids by sulfate-reducing bacteria in freshwater and in marine sediments. Arch Microbiol. 1981 Jan;128(3):330–335. doi: 10.1007/BF00422540. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Latham M. J., Wolin M. J. Fermentation of cellulose by Ruminococcus flavefaciens in the presence and absence of Methanobacterium ruminantium. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 Sep;34(3):297–301. doi: 10.1128/aem.34.3.297-301.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mountfort D. O., Asher R. A., Mays E. L., Tiedje J. M. Carbon and electron flow in mud and sandflat intertidal sediments at delaware inlet, nelson, new zealand. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1980 Apr;39(4):686–694. doi: 10.1128/aem.39.4.686-694.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Peck H. D. THE ATP-DEPENDENT REDUCTION OF SULFATE WITH HYDROGEN IN EXTRACTS OF DESULFOVIBRIO DESULFURICANS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1959 May;45(5):701–708. doi: 10.1073/pnas.45.5.701. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Scheifinger C. C., Linehan B., Wolin M. J. H2 production by Selenomonas ruminantium in the absence and presence of methanogenic bacteria. Appl Microbiol. 1975 Apr;29(4):480–483. doi: 10.1128/am.29.4.480-483.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Sorokin Y. I. Role of carbon dioxide and acetate in biosynthesis by sulphate-reducing bacteria. Nature. 1966 Apr 30;210(5035):551–552. doi: 10.1038/210551a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Widdel F., Pfennig N. A new anaerobic, sporing, acetate-oxidizing, sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfotomaculum (emend.) acetoxidans. Arch Microbiol. 1977 Feb 4;112(1):119–122. doi: 10.1007/BF00446665. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Winfrey M. R., Zeikus J. G. Effect of sulfate on carbon and electron flow during microbial methanogenesis in freshwater sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 Feb;33(2):275–281. doi: 10.1128/aem.33.2.275-281.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Wolin M. J., Miller T. L. Molybdate and sulfide inhibit H2 and increase formate production from glucose by Ruminococcus albus. Arch Microbiol. 1980 Feb;124(2-3):137–142. doi: 10.1007/BF00427718. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES