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Journal ArticleDOI

Anaerobic Degradation of the Benzene Nucleus by a Facultatively Anaerobic Microorganism

01 May 1970-Journal of Bacteriology (American Society for Microbiology)-Vol. 102, Iss: 2, pp 430-437
TL;DR: The patterns of the oxidation of aromatic substrates with oxygen or nitrate by cells grown aerobically or anaerobically on different aromatic compounds indicated that benzoate rather than protocatechuate was a key intermediate in the early stages of anaerobic metabolism.
Abstract: A bacterium was isolated by elective culture with p-hydroxybenzoate as substrate and nitrate as electron acceptor It grew either aerobically or anaerobically, by nitrate respiration, on a range of aromatic compounds The organism was identified as a pseudomonad and was given the trivial name Pseudomonas PN-1 Benzoate and p-hydroxybenzoate were metabolized aerobically via protocatechuate, followed by meta cleavage catalyzed by protocatechuic acid-4,5-oxygenase, to yield α-hydroxy-γ-carboxymuconic semialdehyde Pseudomonas PN-1 grew rapidly on p-hydroxybenzoate under strictly anaerobic conditions, provided nitrate was present, even though protocatechuic acid-4,5-oxygenase was repressed Suspensions of cells grown anaerobically on p-hydroxybenzoate oxidized benzoate with nitrate and produced 4 to 5 μmoles of CO2 per μmole of benzoate added; these cells did not oxidize benzoate aerobically The patterns of the oxidation of aromatic substrates with oxygen or nitrate by cells grown aerobically or anaerobically on different aromatic compounds indicated that benzoate rather than protocatechuate was a key intermediate in the early stages of anaerobic metabolism It was concluded that the pathway for the anaerobic breakdown of the aromatic ring is different and quite distinct from the aerobic pathway Mechanisms for the anaerobic degradation of the benzene nucleus by Pseudomonas PN-1 are discussed
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper presents a meta-analysis of the phytochemical properties of nitrate reductase, and some of the mechanisms behind its development and application in bacteria and algae.

584 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The metabolism of toluene, phenol, and p-cresol by GS-15 provides a model for how aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols may be oxidized with the reduction of Fe(III) in contaminated aquifers and petroleum-containing sediments.
Abstract: The dissimilatory Fe(III) reducer, GS-15, is the first microorganism known to couple the oxidation of aromatic compounds to the reduction of Fe(III) and the first example of a pure culture of any kind known to anaerobically oxidize an aromatic hydrocarbon, toluene. In this study, the metabolism of toluene, phenol, and p-cresol by GS-15 was investigated in more detail. GS-15 grew in an anaerobic medium with toluene as the sole electron donor and Fe(III) oxide as the electron acceptor. Growth coincided with Fe(III) reduction. [ring-14C]toluene was oxidized to 14CO2, and the stoichiometry of 14CO2 production and Fe(III) reduction indicated that GS-15 completely oxidized toluene to carbon dioxide with Fe(III) as the electron acceptor. Magnetite was the primary iron end product during toluene oxidation. Phenol and p-cresol were also completely oxidized to carbon dioxide with Fe(III) as the sole electron acceptor, and GS-15 could obtain energy to support growth by oxidizing either of these compounds as the sole electron donor. p-Hydroxybenzoate was a transitory extracellular intermediate of phenol and p-cresol metabolism but not of toluene metabolism. GS-15 oxidized potential aromatic intermediates in the oxidation of toluene (benzylalcohol and benzaldehyde) and p-cresol (p-hydroxybenzylalcohol and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde). The metabolism described here provides a model for how aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols may be oxidized with the reduction of Fe(III) in contaminated aquifers and petroleum-containing sediments. Images

463 citations

Book ChapterDOI
Dagley S1
TL;DR: This chapter discusses the catabolism of aromatic compounds by micro-organisms, and reviews (1) enzymic degradations of di- and trihydroxy phenols, (2) reactions converting aromatic compounds into ring-fission substrates, and (3) regulation of catabolic reaction sequences.
Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the catabolism of aromatic compounds by micro-organisms, and reviews (1) enzymic degradations of di- and trihydroxy phenols, (2) reactions converting aromatic compounds into ring-fission substrates, and (3) regulation of catabolic reaction sequences. Ortho-Fission pathways of catechol and protocatechuate as well as meta-fission pathways of catechols are discussed. Important information relating to meta fission has emerged from studies of the microbial degradation of steroids, and an outline of some of these reactions is also given. The enzymic hydroxylation of phenylalanine has been extensively investigated. The system resembles p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase except that the natural cofactor is dihydrobiopterin and not FAD. Pteridines resemble flavins in chemical structure and in their enzymic reactions, but they serve only as electron carriers for hydroxylations and not in the normal electron-transport systems. In both the mammalian and pseudomonad systems, hydroxylation of phenylalanine proceeds by a mechanism, which has been termed the “NIH shift”. The chapter also discusses the bacterial metabolism of gentisates, metabolism of thymol, the oxidation of phenylpropanoid structures arising from Lignins, degradation of α-conidendrin, and regulation of ortho-fission pathways.

322 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
03 Nov 1977-Nature
TL;DR: Methods of aerobic degradation of aromatic compounds in the biosphere are well understood but it is only relatively recently that it has been shown how some bacteria can also degrade these substrates in the absence of molecular oxygen.
Abstract: Methods of aerobic degradation of aromatic compounds in the biosphere are well understood, but it is only relatively recently that it has been shown how some bacteria can also degrade these substrates in the absence of molecular oxygen. This occurs by photometabolism (Athiorhodaceae), nitrate respiration (Pseudomonas and Moraxella sp.) and methanogenic fermentation (a consortium) in which the benzene nucleus is first reduced and then cleaved by hydrolysis to yield aliphatic acids for cell growth. These methods may be used by microbial communities to catabolise man-made pollutants.

292 citations

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: A review of the role of organic carbon in denitrification can be found in this paper, where the chemistry of soil organic matter is only partially understood and its complexity has probably inhibited studies.
Abstract: There are many factors that affect denitrification and these have been reviewed by Delwiche and Bryan (1976), Payne (1981), and Knowles (1982). None of these authors have provided an in-depth review of the critical role of organic carbon in the denitrification process. Organic carbon availability is one of the most important factors that affects denitrifying activity in soil, yet the chemistry of soil organic matter is only partially understood and its complexity has probably inhibited studies. A readily available C substrate is often added to denitrifying systems in the laboratory to ensure an electron supply when other variables are studied.

280 citations

References
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Journal Article
TL;DR: Procedures are described for measuring protein in solution or after precipitation with acids or other agents, and for the determination of as little as 0.2 gamma of protein.

289,852 citations


"Anaerobic Degradation of the Benzen..." refers background in this paper

  • ...(10), with bovine serum albumen as the standard....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A collection of 267 strains, representing many of the principal biotypes among aerobic pseudomonads, has been subjected to detailed study, with particular emphasis on biochemical, physiological and nutritional characters.
Abstract: SUMMARY A collection of 267 strains, representing many of the principal biotypes among aerobic pseudomonads, has been subjected to detailed study, with particular emphasis on biochemical, physiological and nutritional characters. A total of 146 different organic compounds were tested for their ability to serve as sources of carbon and energy. Other characters that were studied included : production of extracellular hydrolases; nitrogen sources and growth factor requirements H-chemolithotrophy; denitrifying ability; pigment production; ability to accumulate poly-p-hydroxybutyrate as a cellular reserve material; biochemical mechanisms of aromatic ring cleavage; and nature of the aerobic electron transport system. The resultant data have revealed many hitherto unrecognized characters of taxonomic significance. As a consequence, it has become possible to recognize among the biotypes examined a limited number of species which can be readily and clearly distinguished from one another by multiple, unrelated phenotypic differences.

2,814 citations


"Anaerobic Degradation of the Benzen..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Motility was characteristic of polar flagellation, and a positive result was obtained with the N,N'-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine oxidase test (17)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarized research into the existing methods for the quantitative determination of tyrosine and tryptophane in proteins, including the Folin-Looney method, which is based on reaction of a phosphotungstic phosphomolybdic acid in a phenol solution.

2,527 citations


"Anaerobic Degradation of the Benzen..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...pHBz was measured by the method of Folin and Ciocalteau (7)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A comprehensive study of the buoyant density of DNA as a function of composition has been made and the linear relation previously reported has been confirmed.

1,549 citations


"Anaerobic Degradation of the Benzen..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...The buoyant density of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from aerobically and anaerobically grown cultures of Pseudomonas PN-1 was determined by the CsCl density gradient method (14)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
12 Nov 1960-Nature

230 citations


"Anaerobic Degradation of the Benzen..." refers background or methods in this paper

  • ...90 X 104 cm2 per mole was used to calculate the amount of HCMSA formed (3)....

    [...]

  • ...These spectral properties are characteristic of HCMSA which is produced by meta cleavage of protocatechuate (3)....

    [...]

  • ...Standard procedures were used to assay catechol-2,3-oxygenase (3) and protocatechuic acid-4,5-oxygenase (3) with a Gilford Model 2000 multiple sample recording spectrophotometer (1-cm light path)....

    [...]

  • ...The aerobic metabolism of pHBz therefore followed the well-established pathway involving meta cleavage (3)....

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