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Updated: Oct 16, 2026

Assaying for Inorganic Polyphosphate in Bacteria
Published on: January 21, 2019
Organophosphonate metabolism by a moderately halophilic bacterial isolate
V E Hayes1, N G Ternan, G McMullan
1School of Environmental Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, UK.
Abstract:
A Gram-negative halophile isolated from soil beneath a road gritting salt pile grew optimally at 10% (w/v) NaCl and was shown most likely to be Chromohalobacter marismortui or Pseudomonas beijerinckii on the basis of 16S rRNA analysis. The strain utilised phosphonoacetate, 2-aminoethyl-, 3-aminopropyl-, 4-aminobutyl-, methyl- and ethyl-phosphonates as phosphorus sources for growth. Differences were observed in the growth rate on different phosphonates and the range of phosphonates utilised at elevated NaCl concentrations, possibly as a result of differentially-induced transport mechanisms. An assay of cell-free extracts of 2-aminoethylphosphonate (2AEP) grown cells showed no detectable 2AEP:pyruvate aminotransferase or phosphonoacetaldehyde hydrolase activity.
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