Energy efficiency of intraperiplasmic growth of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus

Abstract

The Y(ATP) (energy efficiency) of intraperiplasmic growth of B. bacteriovorus was determined from the distribution of radioactivity of the substrate organism ([U 14C]Escherichia coli) between CO2 and bdellovibrio cells at the end of growth. A Y(ATP) value of 18.5 was obtained from single growth cycle experiments and an average value of 25.9 from multicycle experiments. Both values are much higher than the usual value of 10.5 for bacteria growing in rich media. The bases for the unusual energy efficiency for growth of B. bacteriovorus are discussed.