We describe the ability of carboxydotrophic bacteria for nitrate respiration or denitrification. Four out of fourteen strains examined could denitrify heterotrophically forming N 2 (Pseudomonas carboxydoflava) or N20 (Pseudomonas carboxydohydrogena, Pseudomonas compransoris, and Pseudomonas gazotropha). Three carried out a heterotrophic nitrate respiration (Arthrobacter l l/x, Azomonas B1, and Azomonas C2). P. carboxydohydrogena could use H2 as electron donor for nitrate respiration under chemolithoautotrophic growth conditions. CO did not support denitrification or nitrate respiration of carboxydotrophic bacteria, although the free energy changes of the reactions would be sufficiently negative to allow growth. CO at 50 kPa was a weak inhibitor of NzO-reduction in carboxydotrophic and non-carboxydotrophic bacteria and decelerated denitrifying growth. Carboxydotrophic bacteria could utilize a wide range of N-sources. Results obtained with a plasmid-cured mutant of Pseudomonas carboxydovorans OM5 showed, that genes involved in nitrogen assimilation entirely reside on the chromosome. In the presence of an suitable electron donor, most carboxydotrophic bacteria could carry out a reduction of nitrate to nitrite that did not support growth and did not lead to the formation of ammonia.