Oxidation ofn-alkanes to ketones by anArthrobacter species

AnArthrobacter strain isolated from soil and selected for poor ability to utilize hexadecane as sole C-source was grown in a hexadecane (or pentadecane) — salts medium supplemented with yeast extract or corn steep liquor as the source of carbon for growth. It accumulated mono-hexadecanones (or pentadecanones). The percentages to which the individual ketones were accumulated depended on the distance of the carbonyl group from the terminal end of the substrate hydrocarbon; the greater the distance, the lower the percentage. The percentages did not depend on the composition of the medium. No other hydrocarbon oxidation products were observed.These results are discussed in relation to other reports of microbial conversions of alkanes to ketones.This research was authorized for publication as paper no. 3331 in the journal series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, on December 7, 1967.