Knallgas-bacteria

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"Knallgas-bacteria" is a name sometimes used for bacteria which oxidize hydrogen. See microbial metabolism and hydrogen oxidation. These bacteria include Hydrogenobacter thermophilus, Hydrogenovibrio marinus, and Helicobacter pylori. There are both gram positive and negative knallgas bacteria.

Most grow best under microaerophilic conditions. They do this because the hydrogenase enzyme used in hydrogen oxidation is inhibited by the presence of oxygen, but oxygen is still needed as a terminal electron acceptor.

The word "Knallgas" is German for "bang-gas" and means a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen: see oxyhydrogen.