Metabolism and energy generation in homoacetogenic clostridia.

Clostridium thermoautotrophicum and C. thermoaceticum contain an anaerobic electron transport chain. It involves hydrogen and carbon monoxide as electron donors and, presumably, methylenetetrahydrofolate as physiological electron acceptor. Cytochrome b554, cytochrome b559, menaquinone, a flavoprotein, ferredoxin and rubredoxin are parts of the electron transport chain. The electron transport results in the generation of a proton motive force which drives the synthesis of ATP or the uptake of amino acids.