Life Sciences Commons^™

Production Of Methanethiol And Volatile Sulfur Compounds By The Archaeon ‘‘Ferroplasma Acidarmanus’’, David J. Baumler, Kai F. Hung, Kwang Cheol Jeong, Charles W. Kaspar

Kai F. Hung

Acidophiles are typically isolated from sulfaterich ecological niches yet the role of sulfur metabolism in their growth and survival is poorly defined. Studies of heterotrophically grown ‘‘Ferroplasma acidarmanus’’ showed that its growth requires a minimum of 100 mM of a sulfate-containing salt. Headspace gas analyses by GC/ MS determined that the volatile sulfur compound emitted by active ‘‘F. acidarmanus’’ cultures is methanethiol. In ‘‘F. acidarmanus’’ cultures grown either heterotrophically or chemolithotrophically, methanethiol was produced constitutively. Radiotracer studies with 35S-labeled methionine, cysteine, and sulfate showed that all three were used in methanethiol production. Additionally, 3H-labeled methionine was incorporated into methanethiol and …