Pathway of Propionate Oxidation by a Syntrophic Culture of Smithella propionica and Methanospirillum hungatei

AUTOR(ES)

de Bok, F. A. M.

FONTE

American Society for Microbiology

RESUMO

The pathway of propionate conversion in a syntrophic coculture of Smithella propionica and Methanospirillum hungatei JF1 was investigated by 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Cocultures produced acetate and butyrate from propionate. [3-13C]propionate was converted to [2-13C]acetate, with no [1-13C]acetate formed. Butyrate from [3-13C]propionate was labeled at the C2 and C4 positions in a ratio of about 1:1.5. Double-labeled propionate (2,3-13C) yielded not only double-labeled acetate but also single-labeled acetate at the C1 or C2 position. Most butyrate formed from [2,3-13C]propionate was also double labeled in either the C1 and C2 atoms or the C3 and C4 atoms in a ratio of about 1:1.5. Smaller amounts of single-labeled butyrate and other combinations were also produced. 1-13C-labeled propionate yielded both [1-13C]acetate and [2-13C]acetate. When 13C-labeled bicarbonate was present, label was not incorporated into acetate, propionate, or butyrate. In each of the incubations described above, 13C was never recovered in bicarbonate or methane. These results indicate that S. propionica does not degrade propionate via the methyl-malonyl-coenzyme A (CoA) pathway or any other of the known pathways, such as the acryloyl-CoA pathway or the reductive carboxylation pathway. Our results strongly suggest that propionate is dismutated to acetate and butyrate via a six-carbon intermediate.

Documentos Relacionados

• Biochemical Evidence for Formate Transfer in Syntrophic Propionate-Oxidizing Cocultures of Syntrophobacter fumaroxidans and Methanospirillum hungatei
• Energetics of Syntrophic Propionate Oxidation in Defined Batch and Chemostat Cocultures
• Chemotaxis in Methanospirillum hungatei
• Unusual stability of the Methanospirillum hungatei sheath.
• Physical characterization of the flagella and flagellins from Methanospirillum hungatei.