Phototrophic utilization of taurine by the purple nonsulfur bacteria Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

Taurine metabolism by two phototrophically grown purple nonsulfur bacteria enrichment isolates has been examined. Rhodopseudomonas palustris (strain Tau1) grows with taurine as a sole electron donor, sulfur and nitrogen source during photoautotrophic growth. Rhodobacter sphaeroides (strain Tau3) grows on the compound as sole electron donor, sulfur and nitrogen source, and partial carbon source, in the presence of CO(2) during photoheterotrophic growth.

Sulfoacetaldehyde bisulfite adduct is a substrate for enzymes presumed to act on sulfoacetaldehyde.

Sulfoacetaldehyde, an intermediate of interest to those studying microbial metabolism of sulfonates, is commonly synthesized as the bisulfite adduct. A published method presumed to convert this to the free aldehyde (and cited several times elsewhere in the literature) has been shown to be ineffective; this had not been realized by its users because the enzymes under study recognize the adduct as a substrate.

Acetate acts as a protonophore and differentially affects bead movement and cell migration of the gliding bacterium Cytophaga johnsonae (Flavobacterium johnsoniae).

Cells of Cytophaga johnsonae (now Flavobacterium johnsoniae) are able to translocate on solid surfaces but are unable to swim in liquid media. Organelles that may be involved in this gliding motility have not been detected, and the mechanism(s) responsible remains unknown. The movement of latex beads attached to the cell surface is considered by some to be a manifestation of the gliding machinery.