Three groups of bacteria capable of decomposing chloro-substituted aliphatic acids were isolated from soil by means of selective media. A group of Pseudomonas-like bacteria (A) decomposed monochloroacetate (and monobromoacetate) readily in media with yeast extract, peptone, or amino acids. They also decomposed α-monochloropropionate with moderate vigor, but had little effect on dichloro-acetate and -propionate, and none on trichloroacetate. A non-sporeforming bacterium of uncertain taxonomic position (B) was able to decompose trichloroacetate in media containing soil extract or vitamin B12, and also in basal medium when associated with vitamin B12-producing strains of Streptomyces. Dichloroacetate was only slightly attacked, and monochloroacetate and α-dichloropropionate not at all. A group of bacteria (C) apparently belonging to Agrobacterium decomposed α-dichloropropionate and dichloroacetate, but was less active towards α-monochloropropionate, and did not attack mono- and tri-chloroacetate. The organisms of groups B and C grew only feebly in ordinary media. The decomposition of monochloroacetate, trichloroacetate, and α-dichloropropionate in soil was accelerated by addition of cell suspensions of groups A, B, and C, respectively. The organisms seemed to be more active in the soil than in vitro.
Studies on Acylase Activity and Microorganisms. XI. A New Method for resolving DL-Amino Acids by Metabolism of Soil Bacteria.