Arginine catabolism by Thermanaerovibrio acidaminovorans

The arginine catabolism of Thermanaerovibrio acidaminovorans was investigat ed. T. acidaminovorans was able to produce approximately 0.4-0.5 mol citrul line and 0.5-0.6 mol ornithine from 1 mol of arginine. However, in a methan ogenic coculture with Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Z245 1 mol argin ine was converted to approximately 1 mol of propionate, 0.5 mol acetate, 4 mol ammonia and 3 mol hydrogen; citrulline and ornithine were not formed. E nzyme measurements indicated the presence of the arginine deiminase pathway (ADI) in cells of T. acidaminovorans growing on arginine. (C) 2001 Federat ion of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved