Chemical Studies on Some Bacteria which Utilize Gaseous Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Lipid and D N A studies on eight Gram-positive bacteria capable of utilizing gaseous unsaturated hydrocarbons as sole carbon sources indicated that the one strain which utilized acetylene as sole carbon source was a member of the genus Rhodococcus. The remaining seven strains which utilized ethylene and/or propylene as sole carbon sources all appeared to be members of the genus Mycobacterium.