The effects of elevated carbon dioxide levels on a Vibrio sp. isolated from the deep-sea.
BACKGROUND
The effect of oceanic CO2 sequestration was examined exposing a deep-sea bacterium identified as Vibrio alginolyticus (9NA) to elevated levels of carbon dioxide and monitoring its growth at 2,750 psi (1,846 m depth).


RESULTS
The wild-type strain of 9NA could not grow in acidified marine broth below a pH of 5. The pH of marine broth did not drop below this level until at least 20.8 mM of CO2 was injected into the medium. 9NA did not grow at this CO2 concentration or higher concentrations (31.2 and 41.6 mM) for at least 72 h. Carbon dioxide at 10.4 mM also inhibited growth, but the bacterium was able to recover and grow. Exposure to CO2 caused the cell to undergo a morphological change and form a dimple-like structure. The membrane was also damaged but with no protein leakage.
Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA. michael.labare@USMA.edu
Michael P
MP
Labare
J Timothy
JT
Bays
Michael A
MA
Butkus
Teresa
T
Snyder-Leiby
Alicia
A
Smith
Amanda
A
Goldstein
Jenna D
JD
Schwartz
Kristopher C
KC
Wilson
Melody R
MR
Ginter
Elizabeth A
EA
Bare
Robert E
RE
Watts
Elizabeth
E
Michealson
Nicole
N
Miller
Rachel
R
LaBranche
D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D014733:Vibrio / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002245:Carbon Dioxide