Methane Production from Formate by Syntrophic Association of Methanobacterium bryantii and Desulfovibrio vulgaris JJ.

Coculture of a sulfate-reducing bacterium, when grown in the absence of added sulfate, with Methanobacterium bryantii, which uses only H(2) and CO(2) for methanogenesis, degraded formate to CH(4). A pure culture of Desulfovibrio vulgaris JJ was able to produce small amounts of H(2). Such a syntrophic relationship might provide an additional way to avoid formate accumulation in anaerobic environments.