The membrane fractions of the microaerobically grown type strains of Wolinella curva, Wolinella recta, Bacteroides ureolyticus, and Bacteroides gracilis contained membrane-bound cytochrome b, cytochrome c, and CO-binding cytochrome c. Soluble cytochrome c and CO-binding cytochrome c were also present. Although B. gracilis is oxidase negative, it possessed cytochrome c. With H2 or formate as the
... [Show full abstract] electron donor, proton efflux from anaerobic cells occurred upon addition of a pulse of oxygen. With formate as the electron donor, the H+/O ratios of W. curva, W. recta, B. ureolyticus, and B. gracilis were 0.75, 1.66, 2.06, and 2.04, respectively. With H2 as the electron donor, the H+/O ratios of W. curva, B. ureolyticus, and B. gracilis were 1.25, 1.97, and 2.36, respectively. Proton translocation was inhibited by the protonophore carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. The results confirm that the organisms are not anaerobes but are microaerophiles capable of respiring with oxygen.