Oxidation of ethylene by soil bacteria.

The course of the biological oxidation of ethylene by soil was dependent on the type of soil used as well as on other factors. As evidenced from an increase in oxidation rate, the ethylene-consuming microorganisms in soil could grow at the expense of ethylene, even when the gas was present at concentrations of 50 ppm or less. Five strains of bacteria strongly resembling each other were isolated from different soils. These pleomorphic, gram-positive, acid-fast, obligate aerobic, ethylene-oxidizing bacteria grew also on saturated alkanes and on ordinary carbon sources. An apparent Km for ethylene of approximately 40 ppm was estimated for whole-cell suspensions of strain E20 by following the disappearance of the gas from the atmosphere.