Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus in a comparison of the growth efficiencies of thermophilic and mesophilic anaerobes.

Maintenance coefficients and theoretical maximum growth yields, with respect to both substrate and ATP, were estimated for Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus growing in a glucose-limited, continuous culture. A comparison of these values with those for other bacteria showed that, contrary to predictions by others, anaerobic thermophiles had neither low observed growth yields nor high maintenance energy coefficients.