Bacterial Growth on Aminoalkylphosphonic Acids

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Abstract
Of 10 bacterial strains tested, 9 were found to be able to utilize the phosphorus of at least one of eight different aminoalkylphosphonic acids for growth, indicating that the ability to catabolize the carbon-phosphous (C-P) bond is widespread among bacteria. Several organisms gave comparable growth rates as well as cell yields when an equimolar amount of either Pi or 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid (2-AEP) was added to the medium. No compounds containing C-P bonds were detected in Escherichia coli B grown on 2-AEP32 or P32-orthophosphate. No degradation of phosphonates by cell-free extracts or suspensions of dried cells was demonstrated. The direct involvement of alkaline phosphatases in cleaving the C-P bond was excluded.