The capacity of phototrophic sulfur bacterium Thiocapsa roseopersicina for chemosynthesis

Purple sulfur bacterium Thiocapsa roseopersicina strain BBS requiring vitamin B12 may grow in the dark in media containing no other organic compounds. Under such conditions the cells oxidize sulfide and thiosulfate with the use of O2 and assimilate carbon dioxide. After 10--30s assimilation of NaH14CO3 about 60% of radioactivity is found in phosphorylated compounds characteristic for the reductive pentose phosphate cycle. The possibility of the function of this cycle in the dark in the presence of O2 is confirmed by the capacity of cells grown under such conditions to synthesize ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase. All this evidence suggests the ability of T. roseopersicina to change from phototrophy to aerobic chemolithoautotrophy.