Mutant microorganisms useful for cleavage of organic C-S bonds

Claim 2

A biologically pure culture of mutant Bacillus sphaericus strain ATCC No. 53969.

Claim 3

A biologically pure culture of organic sulfur selective mutant microorganism Bacillus sphaericus ATCC 53969 which has the ability to selectively reduce the sulfur content of sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material by cleavage of organic C-S bonds and production of inorganic sulfate when grown in a growth medium comprising mineral nutrients and an assimilable source of carbon in the substantial absence of a sulfur-containing compound except said sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material, and in the presence of a nutritional helper culture providing completion of elements of nutrition for growth of said Bacillus sphaericus and in the presence of oxygen at temperatures about 20° to about 34° C.

Claim 4

A biologically pure culture of organic sulfur selective mutant microorganism Bacillus sphaericus ATCC 53969 which has the ability to selectively reduce the sulfur content of sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material by cleavage of organic C-S bonds and production of inorganic sulfate when grown in a growth medium comprising mineral nutrients and an assimilable source of carbon in the substantial absence of a sulfur-containing compound except said sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material, and in the presence of a nutritional helper culture providing completion of elements of nutrition for growth of said Bacillus sphaericus and in the presence of oxygen at temperatures about 20° to about 34° C.

Claim 5

A biologically pure culture according to claim 2 wherein said nutritional helper culture is bacteria selected from the species consisting of Enterobacter and Klebsiella.

Claim 6

A biologically pure culture of organic sulfur selective mutant microorganism Bacillus sphaericus ATCC 53969 which has the ability to metabolize dibenzothiophene by cleavage of organic C-S bonds and produce substantially sole products 2-hydroxybiphenyl and inorganic sulfate when grown in a growth medium comprising mineral nutrients and an assimilable source of carbon in the substantial absence of a sulfur-containing compound except said dibenzothiophene and in the presence of a nutritional helper culture providing completion of elements of nutrition for growth of said Bacillus sphaericus and in the presence of oxygen at temperatures about 20° to about 34° C.

Claim 7

A biologically pure culture of organic sulfur selective mutant microorganism Bacillus sphaericus ATCC 53969 which has the ability to metabolize dibenzothiophene by cleavage of organic C-S bonds and produce substantially sole products 2-hydroxybiphenyl and inorganic sulfate when grown in a growth medium comprising mineral nutrients and an assimilable source of carbon in the substantial absence of a sulfur-containing compound except said dibenzothiophene and in the presence of a nutritional helper culture providing completion of elements of nutrition for growth of said Bacillus sphaericus and in the presence of oxygen at temperatures about 20° to about 34° C.

Claim 8

A biologically pure culture according to claim 4 wherein said nutritional helper culture is bacteria selected from the species consisting of Enterobacter and Klebsiella.

Claim 9

A biologically pure culture of organic sulfur selective derivative microorganisms of Bacillus sphaericus ATCC 53969 which have the ability to selectively reduce the sulfur content of sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material by cleavage of organic C-S bonds and production of inorganic sulfate when grown in a growth medium comprising mineral nutrients and an assimilable source of carbon in the substantial absence of a sulfur-containing compound except said sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material, and in the presence of a nutritional helper culture providing completion of elements of nutrition for growth of said Bacillus sphaericus and in the presence of oxygen at temperatures about 20° to about 34° C.

Claim 10

A biologically pure culture of organic sulfur selective derivative microorganisms of Bacillus sphaericus ATCC 53969 which have the ability to selectively reduce the sulfur content of sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material by cleavage of organic C-S bonds and production of inorganic sulfate when grown in a growth medium comprising mineral nutrients and an assimilable source of carbon in the substantial absence of a sulfur-containing compound except said sulfur-containing organic carbonaceous material, and in the presence of a nutritional helper culture providing completion of elements of nutrition for growth of said Bacillus sphaericus and in the presence of oxygen at temperatures about 20° to about 34° C.

Claim 11

A biologically pure culture according to claim 6 wherein said nutritional helper culture is bacteria selected from the species consisting of Enterobacter and Klebsiella.