Microbial metabolism of quinoline and related compounds. I. Isolation and characterization of quinoline-degrading bacteria

From soil and water samples and from activated sludge of a sewage treatment plant 16 bacterial strains were isolated which utilize quinoline as sole carbon and nitrogen source. The majority of the strains are Gram-negative, aerobic, polarly flagellated rods which do not form spores. They are catalase positive and cytochrome oxidase positive. Some strains can grow anaerobically at the expense of nitrate. Some of them accumulate poly- beta -hydroxybutyrate as cellular reserve material. 13 strains could be identified as members of the genus Pseudomonas . Three strains show a positive Gram strain and were identified as Rhodococcus species.