The utilization of morpholine as a sole nitrogen source by Gram-negative bacteria

The ability of Gram-negative bacteria to degrade morpholine when growing in pure culture is reported for the first time. Several bacterial strains were able to degrade morpholine and to utilize it as a sole nitrogen source but not as a sole carbon and energy source. The organisms studied were obtained from river water and activated sludge and could not be isolated directly on morpholine-containing media which always yielded growth of Gram-positive bacteria using morpholine as a carbon and energy source. The Gram-negative strains were isolated on the basis of their ability to grow on the structurally-related heterocyclc amines piperidine and pyrrolidine.