Abstract
Successive mutations of Escherichia coli yielded a strain that was able to degrade a variety of heterocyclic oxygen- and sulfur-containing ring compounds. In particular, this strain could use both furan-2-carboxylic acid and thiophene-2-carboxylic acid as sole carbon and energy sources. Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds were not degraded. This mutant was isolated by selecting first for oxidation of furan derivatives and then for thiophene degradation. Genetic analysis revealed that mutations in three novel genes, thdA (12 min), thdC (92 min), and thdD (98 min), were required for thiophene degradation. In addition, constitutively at both of the previously characterized fadR and atoC loci was required for efficient thiophene breakdown. The pathway of furan and thiophene degradation remains obscure, but the inability of our mutants to degrade 5-nitro- or 5-bromo-substituted furan derivatives suggests that hydroxylation at position 5 may be involved. Thiophene derivatives were toxic when they were present at concentrations of 0.1% or greater; however, addition of trace amounts of phenylalanine plus tyrosine greatly reduced this effect.
Full text
PDF




Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bachmann B. J. Linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12, edition 7. Microbiol Rev. 1983 Jun;47(2):180–230. doi: 10.1128/mr.47.2.180-230.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bochner B. R., Savageau M. A. Generalized indicator plate for genetic, metabolic, and taxonomic studies with microorganisms. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 Feb;33(2):434–444. doi: 10.1128/aem.33.2.434-444.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Burlingame R., Chapman P. J. Catabolism of phenylpropionic acid and its 3-hydroxy derivative by Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1983 Jul;155(1):113–121. doi: 10.1128/jb.155.1.113-121.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Clark D. Regulation of fatty acid degradation in Escherichia coli: analysis by operon fusion. J Bacteriol. 1981 Nov;148(2):521–526. doi: 10.1128/jb.148.2.521-526.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cooper R. A., Jones D. C., Parrott S. Isolation and mapping of Escherichia coli K12 mutants defective in phenylacetate degradation. J Gen Microbiol. 1985 Oct;131(10):2753–2757. doi: 10.1099/00221287-131-10-2753. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cooper R. A., Skinner M. A. Catabolism of 3- and 4-hydroxyphenylacetate by the 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate pathway in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1980 Jul;143(1):302–306. doi: 10.1128/jb.143.1.302-306.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cripps R. E. The microbial metabolism of thiophen-2-carboxylate. Biochem J. 1973 Jun;134(2):353–366. doi: 10.1042/bj1340353. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hoffmann M. R., Faust B. C., Panda F. A., Koo H. H., Tsuchiya H. M. Kinetics of the removal of iron pyrite from coal by microbial catalysis. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 Aug;42(2):259–271. doi: 10.1128/aem.42.2.259-271.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Monticello D. J., Finnerty W. R. Microbial desulfurization of fossil fuels. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1985;39:371–389. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.39.100185.002103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nunn W. D. A molecular view of fatty acid catabolism in Escherichia coli. Microbiol Rev. 1986 Jun;50(2):179–192. doi: 10.1128/mr.50.2.179-192.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Overath P., Pauli G., Schairer H. U. Fatty acid degradation in Escherichia coli. An inducible acyl-CoA synthetase, the mapping of old-mutations, and the isolation of regulatory mutants. Eur J Biochem. 1969 Feb;7(4):559–574. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pauli G., Overath P. ato Operon: a highly inducible system for acetoacetate and butyrate degradation in Escherichia coli. Eur J Biochem. 1972 Sep 25;29(3):553–562. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1972.tb02021.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Trudgill P. W. The metabolism of 2-furoic acid by Pseudomanas F2. Biochem J. 1969 Jul;113(4):577–587. doi: 10.1042/bj1130577. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- VOGEL H. J., BONNER D. M. Acetylornithinase of Escherichia coli: partial purification and some properties. J Biol Chem. 1956 Jan;218(1):97–106. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wanner B. L. Novel regulatory mutants of the phosphate regulon in Escherichia coli K-12. J Mol Biol. 1986 Sep 5;191(1):39–58. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(86)90421-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Winkelman J. W., Clark D. P. Anaerobically induced genes of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1986 Jul;167(1):362–367. doi: 10.1128/jb.167.1.362-367.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]