Fatty acid composition of various hyphal budding bacteria

The total fatty acid composition of various strains of Hyphomicrobium, Pedomicrobium, and Rhodomicrobium spp. was determined by gas chromatography. In addition, the fatty acid pattern of a new hyphal budding bacterium, strain F-1, was compared with the other patterns obtained. Octadecenoic acid was the main component in most strains, comprising up to 75% of the total fatty acids. Lactobacillic acid and 3-methoxy-tetradecanoic acid were present in varying amounts in the lipids of all organisms except for the new isolate, F-1. This latter strain contained, however, large amounts of iso-heptadecanoic and iso-heptadecenoic acids, not present in the other budding bacteria studied. This composition was consistently found under various culture conditions. The data indicate that, except for the new bacterium F-1, the hyphal budding bacteria studied here are closely related. The total fatty acid composition is thought to be a useful taxonomic criterion for differentiation of these bacteria.     

The Composition of Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) Spirits Obtained from Fermentation with Bacteria and Yeasts

The composition of spirits distilled from fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) tubers was compared by means of gas chromatography. The microorganisms used in the fermentation processes were the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis, strains 3881 and 3883, the distillery yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, strains Bc16a and D₂ and the Kluyveromyces fragilis yeast with an active inulinase. The fermentation of mashed tubers was conducted using a single culture of the distillery yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis (after acid or enzymatic hydrolysis) as well as Kluyveromyces fragilis (sterilized mashed tubers). The tubers were simultaneously fermented by mixed cultures of the bacterium or the distillery yeast with K. fragilis. The highest ethanol yield was achieved when Z. mobilis 3881 with a yeast demonstrating inulinase activity was applied. The yield reached 94 % of the theoretical value. It was found that the distillates resulting from the fermentation of mixed cultures were characterized by a relatively lower amount of by‐products compared to the distillates resulting from the single species process. Ester production of 0.30–2.93 g/L, responsible for the aromatic quality of the spirits, was noticed when K. fragilis was applied for ethanol fermentation both in a single culture process and also in the mixed fermentation with the bacterium. Yeast applied in this study caused the formation of higher alcohols to concentrations of 7.04 g/L much greater than those obtained with the bacterium. The concentrations of compounds other than ethanol obtained from Jerusalem artichoke mashed tubers, which were fermented by Z. mobilis, were lower than those achieved for yeasts.     

Novel Leuconostoc citreum starter culture system for the fermentation of kimchi, a fermented cabbage product

To determine the dominant microorganisms involved in kimchi fermentation and to examine their effect on kimchi fermentation, we randomly isolated and characterized 120 lactic acid bacteria from kimchi during a 5-day fermentation at 15°C. Leuconostoc citreum was dominant during the early and mid-phases of kimchi fermentation whereas Lactobacillus sake/Lactobacillus curvatus or Lactobacillus brevis were found during later stages. Eighty-two out of 120 isolates (68%) were identified as Leuconostoc citreum by means of a polyphasic method, including 16S rDNA sequencing and DNA/DNA hybridization. A few Weissella confusa-like strains were also isolated during the mid-phase of the fermentation. Strain IH22, one of the Leuconostoc citreum isolates from kimchi, was used as an additive to evaluate growth and acid production in kimchi fermentation. This strain was consistently over 95% of the population in IH22-treated kimchi over a 5-day fermentation, while heterogeneous lactic acid bacteria were observed in the control kimchi. The pH in IH22-treated kimchi dropped rapidly but was stably maintained for 5 days, compared to its slow and prolonged decrease in the control kimchi. These results indicate that Leuconostoc citreum IH22 dominates over and retards the growth of other lactic acid bacteria in kimchi, suggesting it can be used as a bacterial starter culture to maintain the quality of kimchi for prolonged periods. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Identification of Intestinal Bacteria Responsible for Fermentation of Gum Arabic in Pig Model

Acacia spp. produce gum exudates, traditionally called gum arabic or gum acacia, which are widely used in the food industry such as emulsifiers, adhesives, and stabilizers. The traditional gum arabic is highly variable with average molecular weights varying from 300,000–800,000. For this reason a standardized sample was used for the present experiments, based on a specific species of gum arabic (Acacia(sen)SUPER GUM^TM EM2). The literature indicates that gum arabic can be fermented by the intestinal bacteria to short chain fatty acid, particularly propionate. However, the bacteria responsible for the fermentation have not been determined. In this study, we used enrichment culture of pig cecal bacteria from the selected high molecular weight specific gum arabic of (M_W 1.77 × 10⁶). We found Prevotella ruminicola-like bacterium as a predominant bacterium that is most likely to be responsible for fermentation of the gum arabic used to propionate.     

Applicability of pectate-entrapped <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus casei</Emphasis> cells for <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>(+) lactic acid production from whey

Lactic acid is a versatile organic acid, which finds major application in the food, pharmaceuticals, and chemical industries. Microbial fermentation has the advantage that by choosing a strain of lactic acid bacteria producing only one of the isomers, an optically pure product can be obtained. The production of l(+) lactic acid is of significant importance from nutritional viewpoint and finds greater use in food industry. In view of economic significance of immobilization technology over the free-cell system, immobilized preparation of Lactobacillus casei was employed in the present investigation to produce l(+) lactic acid from whey medium. The process conditions for the immobilization of this bacterium using calcium pectate gel were optimized, and the developed cell system was found stable during whey fermentation to lactic acid. A high lactose conversion (94.37%) to lactic acid (32.95 g/l) was achieved with the developed immobilized system. The long-term viability of the pectate-entrapped bacterial cells was tested by reusing the immobilized bacterial biomass, and the entrapped bacterial cells showed no decrease in lactose conversion to lactic acid up to 16 batches, which proved its high stability and potential for commercial application.     

p LA-PEDV-S1质粒拷贝数与发酵重组乳酸菌S1表达量之间的相关性研究

探究质粒拷贝数以及目标蛋白S1表达量与发酵时间的关系,从而确定放大生产p LA-PEDV-S1/Lactobacillus casei的最佳发酵时间。通过发酵重组干酪乳杆菌,绘制重组干酪乳杆菌的生长曲线,确定其生长的最佳时期。将p LA-PEDV-S1/L. casei分别接种至添加抗生素和不添加抗生素的MRS培养基中传代培养,进行稳定性实验。使用荧光定量PCR方法检测重组干酪乳杆菌中质粒的拷贝数,使用流式细胞术检测乳酸菌表达的目标蛋白。重组菌在7 h达到生长顶点,传至120代时外源质粒并无丢失情况出现。质粒拷贝数在9 h达到峰值29. 34,表达目标蛋白的重组菌在7 h达到峰值97. 98%。结果显示在细菌生长的对数生长期末期,质粒拷贝数最高且S1表达量最多;在平台期随着发酵时间的增加,质粒拷贝数逐渐降低,S1表达量也相应减少。发酵的最佳时间为7～10 h,质粒拷贝数与S1表达量之间存在着正相关性。     

Optimum conditions for the biological production of lactic acid by a newly isolated lactic acid bacterium,Lactobacillus sp. RKY2

Lactic acid is a green chemical that can be used as a raw material for biodegradable polymer. To produce lactic acid through microbial fermentation, we previously screened a novel lactic acid bacterium. In this work, we optimized lactic acid fermentation using a newly isolated and homofermentative lactic acid bacterium. The optimum medium components were found to be glucose, yeast extract, (NH₄)₂HPO₄, and MnSO₄. The optimum pH and temperature for a batch culture ofLactobacillus sp. RKY2 was found to be 6.0 and 36°C, respectively. Under the optimized culture conditions, the maximum lactic acid concentration (153.9 g/L) was obtained from 200 g/L of glucose and 15 g/L of yeast extract, and maximum lactic acid productivity (6.21 gL⁻¹h⁻¹) was obtained from 100 g/L of glucose and 20 g/L of yeast extract. In all cases, the lactic acid yields were found to be above 0.91 g/g. This article provides the optimized conditions for a batch culture ofLactobacillus sp. RKY2, which resulted in highest productivity of lactic acid.     

Kinetic mechanism for the ability of sulfate reducers to out-compete methanogens for acetate

Methanosarcina barkeri and Desulfobacter postgatei are ubiquitous anaerobic bacteria which grow on acetate or acetate plus sulfate, respectively, as sole energy sources. Their apparent K _s values for acetate were determined and found to be approximately 0.2 mM for the sulfate-reducing bacterium and 3 mM for the methanogenic bacterium. In mixed cell suspensions of the two bacteria (adjusted to equal V _max) the rate of acetate consumption by D. postgatei approached 15-fold the rate of M. barkeri at low acetate concentrations. The apparent inhibition of methanogenesis was of the same order as expected from the different K _s value for acetate. Difference in substrate affinities can thus account for the inhibition of methanogenesis from acetate in sulfate-rich environments, where the acetate concentration is well below 1 mM.     

H2 production by mixed cultures

Production of H₂ from glucose by an anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium (Rhodobacter sphaeroides), a cyanobacterium (Synechococcus cedrorum) and a heterotrophic bacterium (Pseudomonas fluorescens) was tested individually and in mixed cultures of various combinations in light. H₂ production was maximal with a mixed culture of R. sphaeroides and P. fluorescens, which could be further enhanced by immobilization of the bacteria in alginate gel. Inhibition of H₂ photoproduction was observed in a mixture of S. cedrorum and P. fluorescens and a co-culture of all the three organisms.Ch. Sasikala and Ch. V. Ramana are and G. S. Prasad was with the Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Osmania University, Hyderabad-500 007, India. G. S. Prasad is now with the Microbial Type Culture Collection Centre (MTCC), IMTECH, Chandigar, India.     

Quantification of factors affecting the probability of development of pathogenic bacteria,in particularClostridium botulinum,in foods

Summary The success of a preservation method with respect toClostridium botulinum can be measured by its effect on the probability that a single spore would result in growth and formation of toxin. In canned, low-acid foods, the minimum heat-process is designed to reduce the probability of survival of a single, heat-resistant spore ofC. botulinum by a factor of 10¹². In some foods, safety depends on the combination of inactivation and inhibition ofC. botulinum. The degree of protection (Pr) can be expressed asPr=Ds+In, whereDs is the decimal destruction of spores ofC. botulinum andIn is the decimal inhibition. A similar approach can be used in the case of other bacteria.Pr=log 1/P, whereP=the probability that an individual spore or bacterium will survive and result in growth.P can be estimated as the number of spores or bacteria that survive and initiate growth in a culture medium or food divided by the number of viable spores or bacteria inoculated into the medium or food. The effects of combinations of preservative factors can be measured by their effect onP at a stated temperature for a stated time. In experiments to determine the effects of preservative factors on an anaerobic bacterium such asC. botulinum it is essential that oxygen should be eliminated, unless it is controlled as an inhibitory factor. Thus experiments in culture media should be done under strictly anaerobic conditions at a known, low redox potential. The results of experiments to determine the effects of preservative factors onP after a series of incubation times can be modeled by methods similar to those used to model the effect of preservative factors on rate of growth and on lag period. Experiments to determine the effect of preservative factors on the probability of growth from a single spore or bacterium ofC. botulinum are discussed. A few reports of similar experiments with other bacteria have been published and are described. This approach has the advantage that it takes account of the inoculum level of bacteria.Mention of brand of firm names does not constitute an endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture over others of a similar nature not mentioned.     

发酵乳杆菌CSC-19胞外粗多糖提取物抑制单核细胞增生李斯特菌生物被膜形成能力的研究

【目的】筛选能有效抑制单核细胞增生李斯特菌(Listeria monocytogenes,LM)形成生物被膜的乳酸菌,分析其活性成分并进行功能表征。【方法】采用结晶紫染色法筛选抑制LM形成生物被膜的不同乳酸菌提取物;通过酸中和、蛋白酶处理及热处理,推测抑制生物被膜活性物质以胞外多糖(extracellular crude polysaccharide,ECP)为主;乙醇沉淀法提取目标乳酸菌分离株胞外粗多糖,分析其抑制生物被膜形成活性和对LM生长的影响;运用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜(laser confocal scanning microscopy,LCSM)和扫描电子显微镜(scanning electron microscopy,SEM)观察胞外粗多糖对生物被膜细胞形态和结构的影响。【结果】发酵乳杆菌CSC-19发酵上清液对1516-2LM生物被膜的抑制率为81.7%;经热和蛋白酶处理后,发酵上清抑制生物被膜形成的活性未发生显著变化(P>0.05),表明发酵上清液中抑制生物被膜形成的物质可能为胞外多糖;在不抑制LM生长的条件下所提取的胞外粗多糖抑制生物被膜形成能力具有浓度依赖性。激光共聚焦扫描显微镜和扫描电子显微镜结果显示,胞外粗多糖显著抑制了生物被膜的形成能力,生物被膜三维、有组织的蜂窝状结构被破坏,仅有少量的粘附细胞分散于细胞爬片表面。【结论】发酵乳杆菌CSC-19胞外粗多糖能有效抑制LM生物被膜的形成,有望应用于高效防控该菌污染食品。     

“Candidatus Paraholospora nucleivisitans”, an intracellular bacterium in Paramecium sexaurelia shuttles between the cytoplasm and the nucleus of its host

An intracellular bacterium was discovered in two isolates of Paramecium sexaurelia from an aquarium with tropical fish in Münster (Germany) and from a pond in the Wilhelma zoological–botanical garden, Stuttgart (Germany). The bacteria were regularly observed in the cytoplasm of the host, but on some occasions they were found in the macronucleus of the host cell. In these cases, only a few, if any, bacteria were observed remaining in the cytoplasm. The bacterium was not infectious to P. sexaurelia or other species of Paramecium and appeared to be an obligate intracellular bacterium, while bacteria-free host cells were completely viable. The fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and comparative 16SrDNA sequence analyses showed that the bacterium belonged to a new genus, and was most closely, yet quite distantly, related to Holospora obtusa. In spite of this relationship, the new bacteria differed from Holospora by at least two biological features. Whereas all Holospora species reside exclusively in the nuclei of various species of Paramecium and show a life cycle with a morphologically distinct infectious form, for the new bacterium no infectious form and no life cycle have been observed. For the new bacterium, the name Candidatus Paraholospora nucleivisitans is suggested. The host P. sexaurelia is usually known from tropical and subtropical areas and is not a species typically found in Germany and central Europe. Possibly, it had been taken to Germany with fish or plants from tropical or subtropical waters. Candidatus Paraholospora nucleivisitans may therefore be regarded as an intracellular neobacterium for Germany.     

苏云金芽胞杆菌抗菌脂肽初步鉴定及抑菌活性测定

植物枯萎病是影响作物生长的重要因素，利用植物内生菌拮抗病原菌生长，从而降低其危害程度是目前研究的热点。本研究从健康的番茄植株中筛选分离得到一株对番茄枯萎病病原菌有较强拮抗作用的内生细菌B-R1,通过形态学、生理生化以及分子生物学检测分析，鉴定该菌株为苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)。为进一步探索该菌株的生防作用，首先将菌株发酵后离心，得到发酵上清液，采用盐酸沉淀法对其活性物质进行粗提，并检测其对大肠埃希菌(Escherichia coli)、金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus)以及尖孢镰刀菌(Fusarium oxysporum)的抑菌活性。通过薄层色谱法(TLC)、傅里叶红外光谱(FI-TR)、高分辨液相色谱-质谱联用仪(LC-MS)分析并鉴定活性物质的结构。结果表明，苏云金芽胞杆菌对尖胞镰刀菌有良好的抑制作用，结构分析初步鉴定抗菌物质中含有丰原素(fengycin),属于脂肽类抗生素。     

Synthesis of trans unsaturated fatty acids in Pseudomonas putida P8 by direct isomerization of the double bond of lipids

The phospholipids of Pseudomonas putida P8 contain monounsaturated fatty acids in the cis and trans configuration. Cells of this phenol-degrading bacterium change the proportions of these isomers in response to the addition or elimination of a membrane active compound such as 4-chlorophenol. This study undoubtedly reveals that the cis unsaturated fatty acids are directly converted into trans isomers without involvement of de novo synthesis of fatty acids. Oleic acid, which cannot be synthesized by this bacterium, was incorporated as a cis unsaturated fatty acid marker in the membrane lipids of growing cells. The conversion of this fatty acid into the corresponding trans isomer was demonstrated by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis and use of ¹⁴C-labeled oleic acid. Separation and isolation of the cellular membranes showed that the fatty acid isomerase is located in the cytoplasmic membrane of P. putida P8.Abbreviation 4-CP 4-chlorophenol     

Treponema bryantii sp. nov., a rumen spirochete that interacts with cellulolytic bacteria

A saccharolytic spirochete that associated and interacted with cellulolytic bacteria was isolated from bovine rumen fluid. Isolation was accomplished by means of a procedure involving serial dilution of a sample of rumen fluid into a cellulose-containing agar medium. Clear zones appeared within the medium as a result of cellulose hydrolysis by rumen bacteria. The saccharolytic spirochete and a cellulolytic bacterium later identified as a strain of Bacteroides succinogenes were isolated from the clear zones. The spirochete did not utilize cellulose, but grew in coculture with the cellulolytic bacterium in cellulose-containing media. When cocultured in these media the spirochete used, as fermentable substrates, soluble sugars released from cellulose by the cellulolytic bacterium. In cellulosecontaining agar medium the spirochete enhanced cellulose breakdown by the B. succinogenes strain. Electron microscopy showed that the helical spirochete cells possessed an outer sheath, a protoplasmic cylinder, and two periplasmic fibrils. Under a CO₂ atmosphere, in a reduced medium containing inorganic salts, rumen fluid, glucose, and NaHCO₃, the spirochete grew to a final density of 1.9×10⁹ cells/ml. Succinate, acetate, and formate were products of the fermentation of glucose by growing cells. CO₂ (HCO₃ ^-), branched short-chain fatty acids, folic acid, biotin, niacinamide, thiamine, pyridoxal, and a carbohydrate were required for growth of the spirochete. The results of this study indicated that the rumen spirochete represents a new species of Treponema. It is proposed that the new species be named Treponema bryantii.Abbreviations cpm counts per minute - GC guanine plus cytosine - T_m melting temperature - PC protoplasmic cylinder - PF pertplasmic fibrils (axial fibrils) - OS outer sheath - ID insertion disk     

Synergism among lactic acid, sulfite, pH and ethanol in alcoholic fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (PE-2 and M-26)

Summary The industrial production of ethanol is affected mainly by contamination by lactic acid bacteria besides others factors that act synergistically like increased sulfite content, extremely low pH, high acidity, high alcoholic content, high temperature and osmotic pressure. In this research two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PE-2 and M-26 were tested regarding the alcoholic fermentation potential in highly stressed conditions. These strains were subjected to values up to 200 mg NaHSO₃ l⁻¹, 6 g lactic acid l⁻¹, 9.5% (w/v) ethanol and pH 3.6 during fermentative processes. The low pH (3.6) was the major stressing factor on yeasts during the fermentation. The M-26 strain produced higher acidity than the other, with higher production of succinic acid, an important inhibitor of lactic bacteria. Both strains of yeasts showed similar performance during the fermentation, with no significant difference in cell viability.     

From genome sequence to integrated bioprocess for succinic acid production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mannheimia succiniciproducens</Emphasis>

Mannheimia succiniciproducens is a capnophilic gram-negative bacterium isolated from bovine rumen. Wild-type M. succiniciproducens can produce succinic acid as a major fermentation product with acetic, formic, and lactic acids as byproducts during the anaerobic cultivation using several different carbon sources. Succinic acid is an important C4 building block chemical for many applications. Here, we review the progress made with M. succiniciproducens for efficient succinic acid production; the approaches taken towards the development of an integrated process for succinic acid production are described, which include strain isolation and characterization, complete genome sequencing and annotation, development of genetic tools for metabolic engineering, strain development by systems approach of integrating omics and in silico metabolic analysis, and development of fermentation and recovery processes. We also describe our current effort on further improving the performance of M. succiniciproducens and optimizing the mid- and downstream processes. Finally, we finish this mini-review by discussing the issues that need to be addressed to make this process of fermentative succinic acid production employing M. succiniciproducens to reach the industrial-scale process.     

Evolutionary significance of foregut fermentation in the hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin; Aves: Opisthocomidae)

The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is the only folivorous bird known to possess extensive fermentation in the crop by mixed bacterial populations. In this work, the digestive tract of the hoatzin was studied morphometrically and microbiologically, and its significance in the evolution of herbivory in vertebrates is discussed. The crop of the hoatzin is already formed in newly hatched chicks, and acquires microbial populations of bacteria and protozoa within the first 2 weeks of life, presumably by inoculation during feeding by adults. Numbers of bacteria and protozoa resemble numbers from the rumen of Ruminantia. The presence of foregut fermentation in this bird demonstrates that this strategy is not an exclusive feature of mammals. Herbivorous mammals developed foregut structures without homologues among other mammals, while the crop of the hoatzin, being homologous to that in other birds, is analogous to the mammalian foregut fermentation chambers. Thus, evolution of foregut fermentation in mammals and birds might be a case of evolutionary convergence.Abbreviations BM body mass - GC gas-liquid-chromatography - SCFA short-chain fatty acid - SE standard error of mean     

Desulfomonile tiedjei gen. nov. and sp. nov., a novel anaerobic,dehalogenating, sulfate-reducing bacterium

An anaerobic, dehalogenating, sulfate-reducing bacterium, strain DCB-1, is described and nutritionally characterized. The bacterium is a Gram-negative, nonmotile, non-sporeforming large rod with an unusual morphological feature which resembles a collar. The microorganism reductively dehalogenates meta substituted halobenzoates and also reduces sulfate, sulfite and thiosulfate as electron acceptors. The bacterium requires nicotinamide, 1,4-naphthoquinone and thiamine for optimal growth in a defined medium. The microorganism can grow autotrophically on H₂:CO₂ with sulfate or thiosulfate as terminal electron acceptors. It can also grow heterotrophically with pyruvate, several methoxybenzoates, formate plus sulfate or benzoate plus sulfate. It ferments pyruvate to acetate and lactate in the absence of other electron acceptors. The bacterium is inhibited by MoO _inf4 ^sup2- or SeO _inf4 ^sup2- as well as tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin or streptomycin. Cytochrome c₃ and desulfoviridin have been purified from cells grown in defined medium. 16S rRNA sequence analysis indicates the organism is a new genus of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the delta subdivision of the class Proteobacteria. We propose that the strain be named Desulfomonile tiedjei.Non-standard abbreviations PIPES piperazine-N,N-bis[2-ethanesulfonic acid] - MES 2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid - TES N-tris[hydroxymethyl]methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid - HQNO 2-N-heptyl-4-hydroxy-quinoline-N-oxide - CCCP carbonyl-cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazine - CM carboxymethyl     

Oxic and anoxic growth of a new Citrobacter species on amino acids

A facultatively anaerobic bacterium, strain P-88, was enriched selectively under dual limitation by glutamate and oxygen in a chemostat. The new strain is a gram-negative motile rod. The mol% guanine plus cytosine of the DNA is 51.4±0.6 mol%. The organism grows on citrate as a sole source of carbon and energy, does not form acetoin, does not induce lysine decarboxylase and was thus classified as a species of the genus Citrobacter. A remarkable characteristic of the new isolate is its ability to grow on several amino acids with either a respiratory or a fermentative type of metabolism. Under strictly anoxic conditions glutamate was fermented to acetate, H₂, CO₂ and ammonia. Asparagine, aspartate and serine could also be fermented. Furthermore, all type strains of the genus Citrobacter were shown to have the same fermentative abilities. Based on enzyme activities determined in cell-free extracts a combination of the methylaspartate pathway and the mixed acid fermentation of Enterobacteriaceae is proposed to explain the glutamate fermentation pattern observed in cultures of strain P-88. Analysis of the growth of strain P-88 in continuous culture with various degrees of oxygen supply, demonstrated that the bacterium can rapidly switch between oxic and anoxic metabolism. Cultures of strain P-88 grown under oxygen limitation simultaneously respire and ferment glutamate, suggesting that the organism is particularly well adapted to growth in microoxic environments.