PLASMID-ASSISTED MORPHOLINE DEGRADATION BY PSEUDOMONAS-FLUORESCENS CAS-102

A fast-growing Pseudomonas fluorescens CAS102, isolated by enrichment technique from polluted soil, effectively utilized morpholine as the e nergy source. The strain was able to grow in high concentrations of mo rpholine but accumulation of ammonia inhibited its growth and complete mineralization. The molar conversion ratio of morpholine to ammonia w as 1:0.82. The organism harboured a single, multiple antibiotic-and he avy metal-resistance 140 kb plasmid which was resistant to curing. Tra nsformation studies showed that the morpholine degradative phenotype w as expressed only in Pseudomonas and not in Escherichia Growth studies on different putida coli. degradative intermediates of morpholine sug gested that plasmid-encoded genes were involved in the heterocyclic ri ng cleavage and the remaining reactions were mediated by chromosomal g enes.