Some Reactions of Resting Bacteria in Relation to Anaerobic Growth

Abstract

I. ANAEROBIC GROWTH OF FACULTATIVE ANAEROBES. THE circumstances in which the facultative anaerobes will grow under strictly anaerobic conditions are far from clear. It is known that the presence of carbohydrates capable of attack by the organism in question favours anaerobic growth; Ritter [1907] has found that, besides carbohydrates, some of the higher alcohols and hydroxy acids are efficient. Nitrates have been found to induce anaerobic growth of facultative anaerobes [Ritter, 1907; Veillon and Maze, 1910] and Beijerinck [1903] has perceived the possibility that the liberation of energy from nitrate and sulphate oxidations might be utilised by micro-organisms for growth. A mass of data has accumulated on the bacterial reduction of nitrates to nitrites since the discovery of the phenomenon by Schonbein in 1868. Maassen [1901] has shown that 85 out of 109 types of bacteria tested will bring about the reduction. It is generally accepted to-day that the biological significance of the reduction of nitrate is that by it oxygen is supplied to an organism when free oxygen is no longer available.