Microorganisms useful for cleavage of organic C-N bonds

A biologically pure culture of mutant microorganism Pseudomonas ayucida No PTA-806 which has the ability to selectively reduce the nitrogen content of nitrogen-containing organic carbonaceous material by cleavage of organic C—N bonds and production of 8-hydroxycoumarin when grown in a growth medium comprising mineral nutrients and an assimilable source of carbon in the substantial absence of a nitrogen-containing compound except said nitrogen-containing organic carbonaceous material, and in the presence of oxygen at temperatures about 25° C. to 35° C.

A method of selectively reducing the nitrogen content of nitrogen-containing organic carbonaceous material comprising the steps of

• (a) preparing a biologically pure culture of mutant microorganism Pseudomonas ayucida No PTA-806, and
• (b) contacting said nitrogen-containing organic carbonaceous material with cells of said microorganism at temperatures of from 15 to 40° C. in the presence of oxygen.