CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION BY MICROORGANISMS

Abstract

Resting cells of Hansenula anomala, Tetrahymena geleii, Allomyces arbuscula, Blastocladia pringsheimii, Azotobacter agilis, Butyribacterium rettgeri, Clostridium kluyveri, Physarum polycephalum, Scenedesmus D3, Chlorella pyrenoidosa. and Synechococcus cedorum were exposed to radioactive CO2 for 40 min. in the dark. The radioactive compounds formed were separated and identified by paper chromatography. The total radioactivity fixed and the % of activity found in each compound are reported. Ail of the radioactive compounds formed could have become radioactive by reversal of known decarboxylation reactions. Resting cells of Lactobacillus casei fixed no CO2 and growing cells fixed CO2 primarily in malic and aspartic acids.