[Growth and antibiotic formation of bacteria of genus Pseudomonas on media with n-alkanes of low molecular weight].

The ability to assimilate n-alkanes form hexane to decane was studied among 495 collection strains and 27 freshly isolated strains belonging to the genus Pseudomonas. All freshly isolated strains and over one third of collection cultures of Ps. aurantiaca grow on mineral media with n-alkanes of low molecular weight, but do not assimilate heavy paraffins. The strains of Ps. aeruginosa, Ps. fluorescens and Ps. putida, isolated from oilbearing soils, and individual collection cultures, belonging to the two latter species, can assimilate both n-alkanes of low molecular weight (C6--C10) and heavy paraffins. Contrary to Ps. aurantiaca, other species of the Pseudomonas genus lose the ability to assimilate n-alkanes of low molecular weight after cultivation on rich organic media. An increase in the concentration of the mixture of low molecular weight paraffins (to 20 per cent by volume) has no toxic effect on the Pseudomonas bacteria whose biomass has a high content of protein and all necessary amino acids. The strains of Ps. aurantiaca produce a highly active antibiotic preparation consisting of floroglucine derivatives on the defined medium with n-alkanes of low molecular weight. The ratio between components of the preparation obtained on the media with n-alkanes and on the optimal organic media is different.