Studies were conducted on the effect of four different hydroxamic acids (HA), hydroxyurea, acetohydroxamic acid, p-flurobenzoylhydroxamic acid and sorbylhydroxamic acid, on the growth and urease activity of Corynebacterium renale. The addition of each of these HA, at concentrations ranging form 10(-3) to 10(-5) M, to medium containing urea as the sole nitrogen source resulted in a lengthened lag period of growth the extent of which depended upon the concentration of each HA tested as well as the structure of the compound; that is, the size and (or) complexity of the side chain attached to the common terminal group of the molecule. However, the maximal growth levels achieved following conclusion of the exponential phase were not affected by the HA. Investigations on the effect of these HA on the urease activity of intact cells as well as cell-free extracts revealed that in each case the enzymatic activity was inhibited by each of the HA tested. The extent of inhibition with the intact cells was aobut one-half of that observed with cell-free extracts. Direct incubation of cell-free extracts as well as intact cells with each of the HA tested was required for maximal inhibition.