Ametryne and Prometryne as Sulfur Sources for Bacteria

Bacteria were isolated that could utilize quantitatively the s-triazine herbicide prometryne [N,N' -bis(1-methylethyl)-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine] or ametryne [N-ethyl-N'-(1-methylethyl)-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine- 2,4-diamine], or both, as a sole source of sulfur for growth. The success of enrichments depended on previous exposure of the soil inoculum to s-triazine herbicides. Deaminoethylametryne [4-(1-methylethyl)amino-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine-2-(1H)-one], methylsulfonic acid, and sodium sulfate could also be used as sulfur sources. Utilization of a compound was quantified as the growth yield per mole of sulfur supplied. Yields were about 6 kg of protein per mol of sulfur. The product of the desulfuration of an s-triazine was identified as the corresponding hydroxy-derivative. This is the first substantiated report of the utilization of these s-triazines as sulfur sources by bacteria.