The Respiration of Luminous Bacteria and the Effect of Oxygen Tension upon Oxygen Consumption

1. The respiration of luminous bacteria has been studied by colorimetric and manometric methods. 2. Limulus oxyhaemocyanin has been used as a colorimetric indicator of oxygen consumption and indicator dyes were used for colorimetric determination of carbon dioxide production. 3. The Thunberg-Winterstein microrespirometer has been used for the measurement of the rate of oxygen consumption by luminous bacteria at different partial pressures of oxygen. 4. The effect of oxygen concentration upon oxygen consumption has been followed from equilibrium with air to low pressures of oxygen. 5. Luminous bacteria consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide independent of oxygen pressures from equilibrium with air (152 mm.) to approximately 22.80 mm. oxygen or 0.03 atmosphere. 6. Dimming of a suspension of luminous bacteria occurs when oxygen tension is lowered to approximately 2 mm. Hg (0.0026 atmosphere) and when the rate of respiration becomes diminished one-half. 7. Pure nitrogen stops respiratory activity and pure oxygen irreversibly inhibits oxygen consumption. 8. The curve for rate of oxygen consumption with oxygen concentration is similar to curves for adsorption of gasses at catalytic surfaces, and agrees with the Langmuir equation for the expression of the amount of gas adsorbed in unimolecular layer at catalytic surfaces with gas pressure. 9. A constant and maximum rate of oxygen consumption occurs in small cells when oxygen concentration becomes sufficient to entirely saturate the surface of the oxidative catalyst of the cell.