MICROBIAL-METABOLISM OF QUINOLINE AND RELATED-COMPOUNDS .17. DEGRADATION OF 3-METHYLQUINOLINE BY COMAMONAS-TESTOSTERONI 63

A bacterial strain which utilizes 3-methyl-quinoline as sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy was isolated from activated sludge. On th e basis of its morphological and physiological characteristics, this i solate was classified as Comamonas testosteroni. Four metabolites of 3 -methylquinoline degradation were isolated from the culture supernatan t and identified as 3-methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline, 6-hydroxy-3-m ethyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline, 5,6-dihydroxy-3-methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dih ydroquinoline and 2,5,6-trihydroxy-3-methylpyridine. Based on these re sults, a degradation pathway for 3-methylquinoline is proposed.