Distribution of iron in sphaerotilus and the associated inhibition.

The distribution of iron between the sheaths and the cells of iron-inhibited Sphaerotilus cultures was determined. The experiment was conducted with different soluble iron forms as inhibitors. The growth inhibition was found to be related to the iron sorbed by the cells rather than by the sheaths. At the 90% inhibition level, iron sorbed by the cells ranged from 13 to 15 mg/g of organism for all three inhibitors tested. For 50% inhibition, the iron sorbed by the cells ranged from 7 to 8 mg/g of organism. The iron sorbed by the sheaths varied widely, ranging from 23 to 118 mg/g of organism at the 90% inhibition level and from 11 to 61 mg/g at the 50% inhibition level. The degree of inhibition is closely related to the amount of iron sorbed by the cells, which in turn is a function of the type of iron compound or complex used. The solubility of the iron is a major consideration.