EVIDENCE FOR THIOSULFATE FORMATION DURING SULFITE REDUCTION BY DESULFOVIBRIO VULGARIS

The sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, reduces sulfite to sulfide which accumulates as the end product of sulfate metabolism. When the course of the reduction was followed by analyzing reaction mixtures for sulfide and thiosulfate, the latter compound was observed to accumulate and eventually disappear. However, the sulfide concentration gradually increased and its accumulation was concomitant with thiosulfate disappearance. The results indicate that thiosulfate is one of the intermediate compounds which is formed during dissimilatory sulfite reduction. © 1969.