Acetobacterium wieringae sp. nov., a new species producing acetic acid from molecular hydrogen and carbon dioxide

An anaerobic, chemolithotrophic, acetogenic bacterium has been isolated from the sewage digestor in Göttingen. The Gram positive cells were rod shaped and showed subterminal flagellation. The organism grew chemolithotrophically with H₂ and CO₂ forming acetic acid as the sole end product. The optimal temperature for growth was 30 °C and the optimal pH for chemolithotrophic growth was about 7.6. The doubling time under these conditions was less than 10 h. D-fructose or D,L-lactate served as organic substrates. The DNA contained 43 mol% guanine plus cytosine.

As compared to Acetobacterium woodii the substrate spectrum of the new isolate was more restricted, e.g. glucose was not fermented. DNA-DNA-hybridization experiments showed only a 34% homology of the DNAs of A. woodii and the new isolate. Therefore, the new isolate is described as a new species, Acetobacterium wieringae, in honour of K. T. Wieringa who first isolated and described Clostridium aceticum.