Depletion of adenosine triphosphate in Desulfovibrio by oxyanions of group VI elements

Oxyanions of elements from group VI of the periodic table, i.e., analogs of SO4 2−, destroyed adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) in cells of sulfate-respiring bacteria (Desulfovibrio spp.), probably via the ATP sulfurylase reaction. The approximate order of effectiveness was CrO4 2−> MoO4 2−=WO4 2−>SeO4 2−. Cultures of aerobically grown or nitrate-respiring bacteria were less susceptible and with fermentatively grownEscherichia coli the oxyanions even appeared to stimulate ATP levels. The selective depletion of ATP in sulfate-respiring bacteria might provide the basis for a rapid and simple assay of their biomass in mixed cultures or environmental samples.