Do methanogens have an adaptation period with different substrates?
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Methanobacterium formicicum can utilize formic acid, methanol, methylamine, acetic acid, etc. Its growth is slow when the substrate is acetic acid, but it grows faster when the substrate is methanol. For example, if I culture these methanogens using methanol for a period of time and then switch to acetic acid as the substrate, how long will it take for them to adapt? Will their population decrease during this adaptation period?
This post was last edited by Gorō’s Eight Trigrams Staff on 2015-10-12 at 15:52. Using acetic acid after methanol cultivation will definitely cause inhibition. It is recommended to add it slowly and gradually increase the concentration to give it a try
It does have an impact; microorganisms also need to adapt to their environment. Their numbers may decrease in the initial stage, but as long as the growing conditions are suitable (no acidification, and the temperature is at the optimal level), they should be able to adapt quickly. Once they have adapted, they will reproduce in large numbers. It’s like when some people go to unfamiliar environments where the food might not suit their taste, so they are reluctant to eat much; after adapting for a while, they can eat normally again.