CARBON DIOXIDE UTILIZATION BY RUMEN MICROORGANISMS

Abstract
The incorporation of C14O2 into fatty acids by a rumen bacterium was shown. In addition, the incorporation of C14O2 into bacterial protoplasm was investigated. About 35-40% of the activity in the cells of one rumen organism could be accounted for in the "nucleic acid" extract; the remainder was in the "protein" fraction. Most of the activity in the "protein" fraction was found in 5 amino acids: aspartic acid, glutamic acid, threonine, arginine, and phenylalanine. The major part of the activity was in aspartic acid.