Selenium requirement for the growth of Clostridium sporogenes with glycine as the oxidant in Stickland reaction systems

Abstract

C. sporogenes was found to have an absolute requirement for selenium to utilize glycine but not proline as oxidant in Stickland-type fermentations. No glycine reductase activity was detectable in cells from media without added selenium. The data indicate that this organism could be used for microbiological assass for very low levels of selenium in certain forms.