PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF ALKANOTROPHIC RHODOCOCCI FROM VARIOUS ECOSYSTEMS

Pure cultures of Gram-positive bacteria actively utilizing hydrocarbon s were isolated from various habitats of both adjacent and remote geog raphical regions. Based on a wide range of cultural, physiological, bi ochemical, tinctorial, and morphological properties (a total of 120 ch aracteristics), these cultures were assigned to the genus Rhodococcus Zopf 1891, belonging to the family Mycobacteriaceae Chester 1897, orde r Actinomycetales Buchanan 1917. The phenotypic descriptions of the kn own species of rhodococci, R. erythropolis, R. luteus, R. maris, and R . ruber, were enlarged. It was shown that the investigated alkanotroph ic rhodococci can be differentiated by a number of ecologically import ant physiological properties. Representatives of R. erythropolis, R. l uteus, and R. ruber utilize a wide range of organic substrates, wherea s in the isolates of R. maris, the range of enzymatic activities is na rrow. The data obtained confirm the ecological significance of rhodoco cci as hydrocarbon-degrading agents and may be used to predict the com position of the hydrocarbon-oxidizing microbiocenoses of natural ecosy stems.