Sulfonate-sulfur can be assimilated for fermentative growth |
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Authors: | Chih-Ching Chien ER Leadbetter Walter GodchauxIII |
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Institution: | Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269-2131, USA |
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Abstract: | Abstract Bacterial assimilation of sulfonate-sulfur under anaerobic conditions has been demonstrated. Two different bacteria able to grow fermentatively using sulfonate-sulfur as sole sulfur source were isolated by enrichment culture; neither were able to utilize sulfonates as sole source of carbon and energy for growth. The isolate of Clostridium pasteurianum assimilated the sulfur of isethionate (2-hydroxyethanesulfonate), taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonate), or p -toluenesulfonate. A facultatively fermentative Klebsiella strain did not utilize the sulfur of any of these sulfonates, but assimilated cysteate-sulfur; in contrast, when growing by aerobic respiration, the range of sulfonates able to serve as sulfur source was greater. Both bacteria displayed a preferential utilization of sulfate-sulfur to that of the sulfonates tested. Thus, bacterial assimilation of sulfonate-sulfur during anaerobic growth has direct parallels with features until now recognized only for aerobic assimilatory processes. |
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Keywords: | Sulfonate-sulfur assimilation Anaerobic sulfonate transformation Sulfur metabolism |
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