C. Matthies et B. Schink, ANAEROBIC DEGRADATION OF LONG-CHAIN DICARBOXYLIC-ACIDS BY METHANOGENIC ENRICHMENT CULTURES, FEMS microbiology letters, 111(2-3), 1993, pp. 177-182
Methanogenic enrichment cultures fermented the long-chain dicarboxylat
es adipate, pimelate, suberate, azelate, and sebacate (C6-C-10) Stoich
iometrically to acetate and methane. After several transfers, the cult
ures contained cells of only a few morphologically distinguishable typ
es. During anaerobic degradation of dicarboxylic acids with even-numbe
red carbon atoms, propionate accumulated intermediately, and butyrate
was the intermediate product of degradation of those with an odd numbe
r of carbon atoms. Degradation of the long-chain dicarboxylates depend
ed strictly on the presence of hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The prima
ry attack in these processes was beta-oxidation rather than decarboxyl
ation. A general scheme of anaerobic degradation of long-chain dicarbo
xylic acids has been deduced from these results.