La dénitrification chez Bacillus licheniformis

Abstract

The denitrifying capacity of 15 strains of Bacillus licheniformis was evaluated. In general, N2 production by the cultures on complex media containing NO3− is irregular and quite slow and three of the strains never produce gas. Bacillus licheniformis grows rapidly in anaerobiosis on peptone medium containing NO3− which is reduced to NO2−. None of the strains grow in peptone medium with NO2− or N2O as the respiratory substrate, nor do they grow under an atmosphere of 10% NO–90% N2. Denitrification was studied in cell suspensions using gas chromatography. N2O production from NO3− or NO2− is always weak at best; nitric oxide is reduced to N2O at an appreciable rate. All the strains synthesize nitrate reductase A in anaerobiosis when NO3− is present. In cell extracts, nitrite reductase activity is always negligible or nil with tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine as an electron donor.