CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION BY MICROORGANISMS

Abstract

Resting cells of eleven microorganisms were exposed to radioactive carbon dioxide for 40 minutes. The radioactive compounds formed during this time were separated and identified by paper chromatography. Resting cells of Lactobacillus casei fixed no carbon dioxide and growing cells fixed carbon dioxide primarily in malic and aspartic acids. All of the radioactive compounds formed could have become radioactive by reversal of known decarboxylation reactions.