[Hydrogenase activity of different strains of Clostridium butyricum].

Extracts of the cells of Clostridium butyricum, strains MO-1, USA, TM-7B, WS-6K, and C. pasteurianum 038 absorb hydrogen in the presence of its different acceptors; hydrogen is absorbed most actively by the cell extracts of C. pasteurianum 038. The cell extracts of all studied strains of Clostridium liberate hydrogen from reduced methylviologene, benzylviologene, and azocarmine. The rate of this process in the presence of reduced methyl-viologene was highest in the strains of C. butyricum, TM-7B, and MO-1. Hydrogenases of all studied Clostridium strains are susceptible to the action of heat and oxygen.