The Effect of Oxygen on the Germination and Outgrowth of Clostridium butyricum Spores and Changes in the Oxidation‐Reduction Potential of Cultures

Abstract

Summary. The Eh fall observed during incubation of Clostridium butyricum spores occurred during germination and emergence, not during the log phase; it is attributed to the H2 tension resulting from metabolism. When the O2 tension in the medium was increased, the Eh fell only after a few spores outgrew and replicated; germination of remaining spores then followed. It is suggested that the few cells able initially to metabolize can (a) elaborate NADH etc. which reduce the O2 tension to a level non‐inhibitory for the remaining spores, and (b) produce the H2 tension recorded by the Pt electrode.

Low Permeability to Oxygen of a New Barrier Film Prevents Butyric Acid Bacteria Spore Formation in Farm Corn Silage

“…These values were 14 to 7.5 times greater than the oxygen permeability values of the 125-μm-thick OB film, which were reported to be 70 and 400 cm 3 /m 2 per 24 h at 23 and 50°C, respectively (Borreani et al, 2007). Douglas and Rigby (1974) demonstrated that the low tension of oxygen stimulates a few spores of C. butyricum to outgrow and replicate, and this outgrowth is then followed by the germination of the other spores in the medium. They suggested that the few cells that are initially able to metabolize can produce reduced NAD, which reduces the oxygen tension to a noninhibitory level for the remaining spores.…”