Low Growth Rate of a Large-celled Phototrophic Bacterium as a Factor to Form the Dense Population at the Dissolved O₂-H₂S Interface of Lake Kaiike

Abstract

Light-limited growth was compared in two phototrophic bacteria, a large-celled one which was densely populating the dissolved O₂-H₂S interface of Lake Kaiike, and a Chromatium buderi strain DSM 176 obtained from the German Collection of Microorganism. C. buderi could grow fast at a high light intensity, but in a light-limited condition similar to that at the dissolved O₂-H₂S interface of Lake Kaiike C. buderi could not form a dense population. The intrinsic low growth rate of a large-celled phototrophic bacterium isolated from Lake Kaiike was considered to be its means of survival under light-limited conditions.