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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 December; 52(6): 1415-1418
Copyright © 1986, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

End Products of Anaerobic Chitin Degradation by Salt Marsh Bacteria as Substrates for Dissimilatory Sulfate Reduction and Methanogenesis

Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062

ABSTRACT

The anaerobic pathway of chitin decomposition by chitinoclastic bacteria was examined with an emphasis on end product coupling to other salt marsh bacteria. Actively growing chitinoclastic bacterial isolates produced primarily acetate, H₂, and CO₂ in broth culture. No sulfate-reducing or methanogenic isolates grew on chitin as sole carbon source or produced any measurable degradation products. Mixed cultures of chitin degraders with sulfate reducers resulted in positive sulfide production. Mixed cultures of chitin-degrading isolates with methanogens resulted in the production of CH₄ with reductions in headspace CO₂ and H₂. The combination of all three metabolic types resulted in the simultaneous production of methane and sulfide, with more methane being produced in mixed cultures containing CO₂-reducing methanogens and acetoclastic sulfate reducers because of less interspecific H₂ competition.

Virginia Institute of Marine Science, contribution 1335.