Denitrification by a soil bacterium with phthalate and other aromatic compounds as substrates

A soil bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. strain P136, was isolated by selective enrichment for anaerobic utilization of o-phthalate through nitrate respiration. o-Phthalate, m-phthalate, p-phthalate, benzoate, cyclohex-1-ene-carboxylate, and cyclohex-3-ene-carboxylate were utilized by this strain under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. m-Hydroxybenzoate and p-hydroxybenzoate were utilized only under anaerobic conditions. Protocatechuate and catechol were neither utilized nor detected as metabolic intermediates during the metabolism of these aromatic compounds under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Cells grown anaerobically on one of these aromatic compounds also utilized all other aromatic compounds as substrates for denitrification without a lag period. On the other hand, cells grown on succinate utilized aromatic compounds after a lag period. Anaerobic growth on these substrates was dependent on the presence of nitrate and accompanied by the production of molecular nitrogen. The reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxide and the reduction of nitrous oxide to molecular nitrogen were also supported by anaerobic utilization of these aromatic compounds in this strain. Aerobically grown cells showed a lag period in denitrification with all substrates tested. Cells grown anaerobically on aromatic compounds also consumed oxygen. No lag period was observed for oxygen consumption during the transition period from anaerobic to aerobic conditions. Cells grown aerobically on one of these aromatic compounds were also adapted to utilize other aromatic compounds as substrates for respiration. However, cells grown on succinate showed a lag period during respiration with aromatic compounds. Some other characteristic properties on metabolism and regulation of this strain are also discussed for their physiological aspects.