[Metabolism of organic nitrogen compounds by carboxydobacteria]

The capability to hydrolyze and assimilate creatinine, uric and hippuric acids as sources of nitrogen, carbon and energy was studied in Comamonas compransoris Z-1155, Seliberia carboxydohydrogena Z-1062 and Pseudomonas gazotropha Z-1156. The organisms effectively hydrolyzed these compounds and assimilated their nitrogen under the conditions of autotrophic growth. The carboxydobacteria were also capable of growing in media containing creatinine, uric and hippuric acids and assimilated these compounds as carbon sources. In the absence of extraneous energy sources, none of the organisms grew in media with organic nitrogen compounds though the latter were hydrolyzed.