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J Bacteriol. 1972 April; 110(1): 126-132
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Ferredoxin- and Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide-Dependent H₂ Production from Ethanol and Formate in Extracts of S Organism Isolated from "Methanobacillus omelianskii"¹

^a Departments of Dairy Science and Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801

ABSTRACT

S organism ferments ethanol to acetate and H₂ but grows poorly on ethanol unless the partial pressure of H₂ is kept low, as when it is grown in combination with an H₂-utilizing methanogenic bacterium. The present study shows that S organism contains an alcohol dehydrogenase and a formate dehydrogenase, both of which require nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) for activity. Hydrogen is evolved from NADH generated by these activities via a ferredoxin-dependent oxidation of NADH to NAD and H₂. NADH:NADP oxido-reductase activity was also demonstrated. The relationship of these activities to the growth of S organism is discussed.

² Present address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. 30601.

¹ Presented in part at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, 26 April-1 May, 1970, Boston, Mass.