[Chemistry of denitrification in sporogenous soil bacteria]

Soil sporeforming denitrifying bacteria, Bacillus filaris and Bacillus polymyxa, differ by their cultural-morphological and physiological characteristics, but are similar in the chemistry of dissimilating nitrate reduction. Two processes occur simultaneously: denitrification yielding gaseous nitrogen forms, and nitrate respiration upon which nitrates are reduced to ammonia. The ratio between the two depends on physico-chemical conditions of the environment. The chemistry of dissimilating nitrate reduction by sporeforming bacteria differs therefore from nitrate transformation by other denitrifying microorganisms: Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Rhizobium, Achromobacter, which, according to the published evidence, are capable only of denitrification.