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. 1974 May;140(2):293–300. doi: 10.1042/bj1400293

Microbial metabolism of the pyridine ring. Metabolism of 2- and 3-hydroxypyridines by the maleamate pathway in Achromobacter sp

Ronald B Cain 1,*, Charles Houghton 1,†, Keith A Wright 1
PMCID: PMC1168000  PMID: 4455192

Abstract

1. Washed suspensions of two Achromobacter species (G2 and 2L), capable of growth upon 2- and 3-hydroxypyridine respectively as sources of C and N, rapidly oxidized their growth substrate pyridine-2,5-diol (2,5-dihydroxypyridine) and the putative ring-cleavage product maleamate without a lag. Suspensions derived from fumarate plus (NH4)2SO4 cultures were unable to do so. 2. Extracts of both bacteria oxidized pyridine-2,5-diol with the stoicheiometry of an oxygenase forming 1mol of NH3/mol of substrate. 3. Heat-treated extracts, however, formed maleamate and formate with little free NH3. 4. The conversion of maleamate into maleate plus NH3 by extracts of strain 2L, fractionated with (NH4)2SO4, and the metabolism of maleamate and maleate to fumarate by extracts of both strains demonstrated the existence of the enzymes catalysing each reaction of the maleamate pathway in these bacteria. 5. The pyridine-2,5-diol dioxygenase (mol.wt. approx. 340000) in extracts of these Achromobacter species required Fe2+ (1.7μm) to restore full activity after dialysis or treatment with chelating agents; the enzyme from strain 2L also had a specific requirement for l-cysteine (6.7mm), which could not be replaced by GSH or dithiothreitol. 6. The oxygenase was strongly inhibited in a competitive manner by the isomeric pyridine-2,3- and -3,4-diols.

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Selected References

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