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. 1989 Jun;55(6):1624–1629. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.6.1624-1629.1989

Novel Pathway of Toluene Catabolism in the Trichloroethylene-Degrading Bacterium G4

Malcolm S Shields 1,*, Stacy O Montgomery 1, Peter J Chapman 1, Stephen M Cuskey 1, P H Pritchard 1
PMCID: PMC202915  PMID: 16347956

Abstract

o-Cresol and 3-methylcatechol were identified as successive transitory intermediates of toluene catabolism by the trichloroethylene-degrading bacterium G4. The absence of a toluene dihydrodiol intermediate or toluene dioxygenase and toluene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activities suggested that G4 catabolizes toluene by a unique pathway. Formation of a hybrid species of 18O- and 16O-labeled 3-methylcatechol from toluene in an atmosphere of 18O2 and 16O2 established that G4 catabolizes toluene by successive monooxygenations at the ortho and meta positions. Detection of trace amounts of 4-methylcatechol from toluene catabolism suggested that the initial hydroxylation of toluene was not exclusively at the ortho position. Further catabolism of 3-methylcatechol was found to proceed via catechol-2,3-dioxygenase and hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydrolase activities.

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Selected References

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