Utilization of carbon monoxide by aerobes: recent advances

Abstract

The fist of carboxydotrophic bacteria is constantly growing and we have found that burning charcoal piles harbor an especially rich CO-oxidizing microflora. The newly isolated Streptomyces thermoautotrophicus UBT1 is particularly interesting as it is thermophilic, capable of chemolithoautotrophic growth with CO or H~ plus CO 2 and incapable of using organic substrates. Molybdenum is essential for CO-autotrophic growth.