Beiträge zur Kenntnis des Stoffwechsels von Nocardia hydrocarbonoxydans n. spec.

Summary

• 1. Nocardia hydrocarbonxydans n. spec. grows slowly on mineral salts media under exposure to laboratory air.

• 2. Growth is considerably enhanced by the vapor phases of kerosene and the liquid alipatic hydrocarbons.

• 3. Illuminating gas and hydrogen have no stimulatory effect. Benzene, toluene, xylene, acetone, pyridine, 1-butanol, n-hexyl and n-heptyl alcohol, hexanal and heptanal inhibit growth entirely.

• 4. Gaseous aliphatic hydrocarbons (from octane to hexadecane) are oxidized, the oxidation, however, is not complete.

• 5. Primary n-alcohols (C₆−C₁₂) and aldehydes (C₁₀−C₁₂) are oxidized.

• 6. Because of the relatively low RQ-values during the decomposition of primary alcohols, it is concluded that these compounds are also incompletely decomposed.

• 7. The monocarboxylic acids (C₆−C₁₄) and the dicarboxylic acids (succinic and sebacic acid) are oxidized.

• 8. CO₂ is necessary for growth; the CO₂-carbon is incorporated into amino acids of the cell substance.

• 9. The hydrocarbons serve both as energy and as carbon sources. The incorporation of carbon from the hydrocarbons probably occurs over a pathway different from that of the normal CO₂ assimilation.