PEPTIDE AND AMINO-ACID OXIDATION IN THE PRESENCE OF THIOSULFATE BY MEMBERS OF THE GENUS THERMOANAEROBACTER

Thermoanaerobacter brockii, T. ethanolicus, T. thermohydrosulfuricus, T. finnii, and Thermoanaerobacter strain SEBR 5268 (an isolate from an oil-producing well) were studied for their ability to oxidize proteinaceous compounds that included gelatin, peptides, and casamino acids. All bacteria tested used peptides and amino acids, but only slightly. However, in the presence of thiosulfate all the Thermoanaerobacter species showed a substantial improvement in growth and/or the production of acetate, isovalerate, isobutyrate, and sulfide. Propionate was a minor product of peptide or amino acid oxidation. The reduction of thiosulfate during growth on peptides by members of the Thermoanaerobacter species is a trait that closely resembles that of archaeal hyperthermophiles during growth on peptides and amino acids with elemental sulfur as electron acceptor.