[Catabolism of methylphosphonic acid and its physiological regulation in Escherichia coli]

It was found that methyl phosphonic acid (Pn) was degraded by different Escherichia coli strains, which utilized it as the sole phosphorus source with resulting methane formation. This ability was influenced by mutations in the regulatory genes of the pho regulon. Thus, Pn was not degraded by an E. coli mutant defective in the regulatory phoB gene, responsible for the induction of pho-regulon proteins during phosphorus starvation. The intensity of Pn degradation depended on the age and concentration of the inoculum. Preincubation of bacteria in the presence of Pn accelerated subsequent degradation of both methyl phosphonic acid and its esters. Cultures developing from a small amount of inoculum degraded Pn more efficiently than heavily inoculated cultures that underwent only one cell division. However, cultures heavily inoculated with adapted cells degraded Pn as efficiently as cultures developing from a small amount of inoculum. Aeration was an important factor regulating Pn degradation: Pn was degraded more efficiently under anaerobic conditions regardless of the amount of inoculum.