D-Amino Acid Catabolism Is Common Among Soil-Dwelling Bacteria

摘要

Soil and rhizosphere environments were examined in order to determine the identity and relative abundance of bacteria that catabolize D- and L-amino acids as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. All substrates were readily catabolized by bacteria from both environments, with most D-amino acids giving similar CFU counts to their L-amino acid counterparts. CFU count ratios between L-and D-amino acids typically ranged between 2 and 1. Isolates were phylogenetically typed in order to determine the identity of D-amino acid catabolizers. Actinobacteria, specifically the Arthrobacter genus, were abundant along with members of the alpha- and beta-Proteobacteria classes.