TABLE 1.

Range of organophosphonate substrates utilized by B. cepacia Pal6 as the sole phosphorus source

Substrate (1 mM)	Growth (μg of protein/ml)a
Inorganic phosphate	200
2-Phosphonopropionic acid	200
2AEPb	200
Phenylphosphonic acid	160
Hydroxymethylphosphonic acid	160
Methylphosphonic acid	120
Phosphonoacetic acid	120
1-Aminobutylphosphonic acid	30
Aminomethylphosphonic acid	30
3-Aminopropylphosphonic acid	20
Ethylphosphonic acid	10
2-Amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid	10
Phosphonoformic acid	10
4-Aminobutylphosphonic acid	10
1-Aminoethylphosphonic acid	10
Phosphate-free medium	0

^aResults were scored negative if the protein yield, as measured by the method of Binks et al. (1), was less than 20% of that of the positive control containing 1 mM inorganic phosphate. Results are means of duplicates which on no occasion varied by more than 5%. 

^b2AEP was also metabolized as the sole carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus source.