Publications

7-methylpterin derivatives in extracts of methanogens characterized by a relatively low methanopterin content.	cofactor extracts of five hydrogenotrophic methanogenic bacteria which contain relatively low amounts of methanopterin were screened for the presence of 7-methylpterin derivatives. extracts of methanospirillum hungatei, methanobrevibacter smithii and methanoplanus endosymbiosus were found to contain 7-methylpterin and methanopterin. these compounds were absent in extracts of methanogenium thermophilicum and methanogenium tatii. an unidentified methanopterin-like compound was detected in extracts ...	1988	3255348
quin's oval and other microbiota in the rumens of molasses-fed sheep.	two rumen-cannulated wether sheep were fed a diet containing 1 kg of a liquid-molasses mixture, 80 g of soybean oil meal, and 100 g of chopped wheat straw once a day. in 6 weeks and thereafter, the microbiota adapted such that quin's oval, a very large bacterium, was present in huge numbers (11.3 x 10(10) and 1.3 x 10(10) ml-1 after 73 days). direct microscopic counts were also done on small bacteria, moderate-sized selenomonas spp., and small entodinium spp., which were the only protozoa seen. ...	1987	3300549
cloning and characterization of a 12-gene cluster from bacillus subtilis encoding nine enzymes for de novo purine nucleotide synthesis.	an approximately 16-kilobase pair region of the bacillus subtilis chromosome at 55 degrees containing genes for de novo purine nucleotide synthesis (piggot, p. j., and hoch, j. a. (1985) microbiol. rev. 49, 158-179) was cloned. the nucleotide sequence of over 13 kilobase pairs indicates that this region contains a cluster of 12 genes, 11 of which encode enzymes that catalyze the 10 reactions for de novo purine nucleotide synthesis from 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate to imp. the genes were iden ...	1987	3036807
energetic analysis of the growth of methanobrevibacter arboriphilus a2 in hydrogen-limited continuous cultures.	hydrogen-limited chemostat cultures of methanobrevibacter arboriphilus a2 were carried out. the available electron balance and carbon balance in m. arboriphilus a2 and other methanogenic strains grown on various substrates were well satisfied. this indicates that no extracellular organic products were formed during methanogenic growth. the molar growth yields for methane (y(x/ch(4) )) were calculated as 1.06-1.42 g cell/mol ch(4) at dilution rate (0.21-0.43 day(-1)). the smaller y(x/ch(4) ) of m ...	1987	18576419
characteristics of methanogens isolated from bovine rumen.	six strains of methanogens were isolated from 10(-8) and 10(-9) ml of bovine rumen contents. all strains had the morphologic and physiologic characteristics of methanobrevibacter spp. four strains required coenzyme m; two did not. growth of all strains either depended on or was stimulated by a mixture of isobutyric, isovaleric, 2-methylbutyric, and valeric acids. none of the strains reacted with antiserum against the type strain of methanobrevibacter ruminantium.	1986	3954338
isolation of an antigenically unique methanogen from human feces.	a methanogenic bacterium with the morphological and physiological properties of the genus methanobrevibacter was isolated from the feces of a japanese man who excreted methane in his breath. indirect immunofluorescence staining revealed that the isolate had an antigenicity unrelated to that of any known members of the genus methanobrevibacter.	1986	3513706
incidence of methanogenic bacteria in a sigmoidoscopy population: an association of methanogenic bacteria and diverticulosis.	this study determined the incidence and concentration of methane-producing bacteria in tap water enema samples of 130 individuals taken before sigmoidoscopy. the number of subjects classified in five major colonic groups were as follows: normal colon 36, diverticulosis 57, inflammatory bowel disease 11, colon polyps 34, and colon cancer 11. some patients were placed in more than one category. ninety four of the subjects or 72% had methanogenic bacteria ranging in concentration from 6 to about 3 ...	1986	3721294
31p-nmr spectra of methanogens: 2,3-cyclopyrophosphoglycerate is detectable only in methanobacteria strains.	the unique compound 2,3-cyclopyrophosphoglycerate occurs at a detectable concentration in the genera methanobacterium and methanobrevibacter but not in methanococcus, methanospirillum and methanosarcina, as shown by a 31p-nmr survey of several different methanogens. metabolic poisons (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and valinomycin) do not decrease the level of the cyclic pyrophosphate in methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum; therefore, it cannot be a phosphagen, i.e., an energy storage ...	1986	3754772
a diphytanyl ether analog of phosphatidylserine from a methanogenic bacterium, methanobrevibacter arboriphilus.	several ninhydrin-positive lipids were found in methanogenic bacteria and the structure of one of them, designated as pnl2 from methanobrevibacter arboriphilus, was identified as a diphytanyl ether analog of phosphatidylserine. the chromatographic behavior of the lipid on thin-layer plates and on a deae-cellulose column was identical to the ester form of phosphatidylserine. the infrared spectra showed the presence of amino, carboxyl, ether, and phosphate groups, and the absence of an ester linka ...	1986	3760709
13c nmr spectroscopy of methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. carbon fluxes and primary metabolic pathways.	the flux of 13c-labeled carbons from the soluble metabolite 2,3-cyclopyrophosphoglycerate (cpp), a novel compound found in high concentrations exclusively in methanobacteria and methanobrevibacter, into carbohydrate-containing material has been deduced by solid-state 13c nmr spectroscopy which strongly argues for a role in gluconeogenesis for this unique metabolite. the turnover rates, but not the steady-state levels, of cpp labeled by 13co2 or [13c]acetate depend dramatically on cell growth con ...	1986	3782122
is coenzyme m bound to factor f430 in methanogenic bacteria? experiments with methanobrevibacter ruminantium.	coenzyme m (2-mercaptoethane sulfonic acid) and factor f430 (a nickel porphinoid) are coenzymes found in methanogenic bacteria. recently it has been proposed that in these bacteria a coenzyme mf430 also exists which plays a key role in methane formation and in which coenzyme m and f430 are bound to each other. to test this hypothesis methanobrevibacter ruminantium, which requires coenzyme m as a vitamin, was grown in the presence of [2-14c]comsh. f430 and 'com' (mixture of comsh and its disulfid ...	1985	3920049
sequence divergence of an archaebacterial gene cloned from a mesophilic and a thermophilic methanogen.	a 1.6-kb fragment of dna from the thermophilic, methane-producing, anaerobic archaebacterium methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum delta h has been cloned and sequenced. this dna complements mutations in both the pure1 and pure2 loci of escherichia coli. the sequence of the m. thermoautotrophicum dna predicts that complementation in e. coli results from the synthesis of a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 36,249. a polypeptide apparently of this molecular weight is synthesized in e. coli min ...	1985	3936936
structure of genes and an insertion element in the methane producing archaebacterium methanobrevibacter smithii.	dna fragments cloned from the methanogenic archaebacterium methanobrevibacter smithii which complement mutations in the pure and proc genes of e. coli have been sequenced. sequence analyses, transposon mutagenesis and expression in e. coli minicells indicate that pure and proc complementations result from the synthesis of m. smithii polypeptides with molecular weights of 36,697 and 27,836 respectively. the encoding genes appear to be located in operons. the m. smithii genome contains 69% a/t bas ...	1985	2993814
gelrite as an agar substitute for the cultivation of mesophilic methanobacterium and methanobrevibacter species.	gelrite was evaluated as a gelling agent for the growth of mesophilic methanobacterium and methanobrevibacter species. gelrite was shown to be superior to agar in its gel strength and clarity. viable cell counts and colony sizes of methanobacterium species were greater on gelrite-based medium compared with agar-based medium.	1985	16346906
rapidly growing rumen methanogenic organism that synthesizes coenzyme m and has a high affinity for formate.	methanogenic bacteria with a coccobacillus morphology similar to methanobrevibacter ruminantium were isolated from the bovine rumen. one isolate, 10-16b, represented a previously undescribed rumen population that, unlike m. ruminantium, synthesized coenzyme m, grew rapidly (mu = 0.24 h-1) on h2-co2 in a complex medium, had simple nutritional requirements, and metabolized formate at reported rumen concentrations. h2 was metabolized to partial pressures 10-fold lower than those reported for the ru ...	1984	6433795
methanogens and anaerobes in a colon segment isolated from the normal fecal stream.	methanogens were in the isolated sigmoid colon but not in the colostomy bag of a woman with a left hemicolectomy with end colostomy and mucous fistula. the predominant methanogen was methanobrevibacter smithii. an anaerobic bacterial community supported by nondietary substrates was present in the isolated sigmoid colon.	1984	6486788
evidence for a nickel-containing carbon monoxide dehydrogenase in methanobrevibacter arboriphilicus.	in growing cultures of methanobrevibacter arboriphilicus (methanobrevibacter arboriphilus), the synthesis of active carbon monoxide dehydrogenase required nickel. the 21-fold-purified enzyme from 63ni-labeled cells of m. arboriphilicus comigrated with 63ni during gel filtration. these results provide evidence that the carbon monoxide dehydrogenase of methanogens is a nickel protein.	1984	6546569
stability of methanobrevibacter smithii populations in the microbial flora excreted from the human large bowel.	total anaerobic bacteria and methanobrevibacter smithii populations were enumerated in fecal specimens from two individuals over 10- and 13-month periods. the ratio of m. smithii to total anaerobic count varied between the individuals, but it was a relatively constant proportion of the large-bowel microbial flora within each individual. neither a barium enema examination of one subject nor a radical change in the diet of the other had any long-term effect on the methanogen populations.	1983	6824322
enumeration of methanobrevibacter smithii in human feces.	a plating medium containing cephalothin and clindamycin was developed for enumeration and isolation of methanogens in human feces. specimens from nine ch4-producing subjects had total anaerobe counts of 1-8 x 1011/g dry weight. methanogen counts on the antibiotic medium ranged from 0.001 - 12.6% of the total anaerobe count. there was no correlation between age, sex or percent dry fecal weight and the ratio of methanogens to total counts. specimens from eight non-ch4-producing individuals contain ...	1982	7065811
antigenic analysis of methanomicrobiales and methanobrevibacter arboriphilus.	preparation of new antisera has permitted more comprehensive immunological analyses of the two families of methanomicrobiales. methanomicrobiaceae and methanosarcinaceae, and the species methanobrevibacter arboriphilus. immunological analysis was carried out with antibody probes against 23 strains, including almost all genera and species of methanogens. the absence of cross-reactions between families of methanogens was confirmed. methanomicrobium and methanogenium were found to be immunologicall ...	1982	6752119
isolation of methanobrevibacter smithii from human feces.	fecal specimens from nine adults were examined for the presence of methanogenic bacteria. enrichment cultures of five specimens produced methane in 5 days. of these five specimens, three were tested and produced methane during a short-term incubation. four specimens did not produce methane in either short-term incubation or in enrichment culture. each methanogenic culture contained methanogens similar in morphology to organisms of the genus methanobrevibacter and showed factor-420 fluorescence b ...	1982	6798932
fermentation of cellulose to methane and carbon dioxide by a rumen anaerobic fungus in a triculture with methanobrevibacter sp. strain ra1 and methanosarcina barkeri.	the fermentation of cellulose by a rumen anaerobic fungus in the presence of methanobrevibacter sp. strain ra1 and methanosarcina barkeri strain 227 resulted in the formation of 2 mol each of methane and carbon dioxide per mol of hexose fermented. coculture of the fungus with either methanobrevibacter sp. or m. barkeri produced 0.6 and 1.3 mol of methane per mol of hexose, respectively. acetate, formate, ethanol, hydrogen, and lactate, which are major end products of cellulose fermentation by th ...	1982	16346048
anaerobic degradation of lactate by syntrophic associations of methanosarcina barkeri and desulfovibrio species and effect of h(2) on acetate degradation.	when grown in the absence of added sulfate, cocultures of desulfovibrio desulfuricans or desulfovibrio vulgaris with methanobrevibacter smithii (methanobacterium ruminantium), which uses h(2) and co(2) for methanogenesis, degraded lactate, with the production of acetate and ch(4). when d. desulfuricans or d. vulgaris was grown in the absence of added sulfate in coculture with methanosarcina barkeri (type strain), which uses both h(2)-co(2) and acetate for methanogenesis, lactate was stoichiometr ...	1981	16345708
syntrophic association of a butyrate-degrading bacterium and methanosarcina enriched from bovine rumen fluid.	an anaerobic butyrate-degrading bacterium, morphologically similar to syntrophomonas wolfei, was isolated in coculture with desulfovibrio strain g11 from an enrichment of bovine rumen fluid. a methanosarcina species was the major h2-using organism in the enrichment. the results are discussed in relationship to the absence of methanospirillum hungatei, the h2-using methanogen usually found in association with s. wolfei, and the finding of methanosarcina rather than methanobrevibacter ruminantium ...	1981	7224635
nickel requirement and factor f430 content of methanogenic bacteria.	methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum has been reported to require nickel for growth and to contain high concentrations of a nickel tetrapyrrole designated factor f430. in this communication it is shown that all methanogenic bacteria investigated incorporated nickel during growth and also synthesized factor f430. this was also true for methanobrevibacter smithii, which is dependent on acetate as a carbon source, and for methanosarcina barkeri growing on acetate or methanol as energy sources. othe ...	1981	7298577