Abstract
The stoichiometry between the consumption of CO and $O_2$ and the production of $CO_2(2CO+O_2{\rightarrow}2CO_2)$) showed that Pseudomonas carboxydohydrogena grows as a typical aerobic CO oxidizer with CO. The optimal concentration of CO for growth was found to be 30% in gas mixture with air. The initial buffer concentration of the culture medium did not affect the growth of this bacterium. P. carboxydohydrogena is an obligate aerobe and dose not use nitrate as a terminal electron acceptor. The CO dehydrogenase is an inducible and soluble enzyme. The reaction rate and stability were maximal at pH7.5, and the Arrhenius plot revealed an activation energy of 37.7kJ/mol (9.0 Kcal/mol). The crude enzyme used methylene blue, thionin, and toluylene blue as electron acceptors for the oxidation of CO to $Co_2$ under anaerobic conditions. It was found that water must be the source of the second oxygen atom for CO oxidation.