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. 1974 Sep;119(3):923–929. doi: 10.1128/jb.119.3.923-929.1974

Bacterial Metabolism of para- and meta-Xylene: Oxidation of a Methyl Substituent

John F Davey 1, David T Gibson 1
PMCID: PMC245700  PMID: 4850727

Abstract

Pseudomonas Pxy was isolated on p-xylene as sole source of carbon and energy. Substrates that supported growth were toluene, p-methylbenzyl alcohol, p-tolualdehyde, p-toluic acid, and the analogous m-methyl derivatives, including m-xylene. Cell extracts prepared from Pseudomonas Pxy after growth with either p-xylene or m-xylene oxidized the p- and m-isomers of tolualdehyde as well as p-methylbenzyl alcohol. The same cell extracts also catalyzed a “meta” fission of both 3- and 4-methylcatechol. Treatment of Pseudomonas Pxy with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine led to the isolation of two mutant strains. Pseudomonas Pxy-40, when grown on succinate in the presence of p-xylene, accumulated p-toluic acid in the culture medium. Under the same conditions Pseudomonas Pxy-82 accumulated p-toluic acid and also 4-methylcatechol. When Pseudomonas Pxy-82 was grown on succinate in the presence of m-xylene, 3-methylcatechol and 3-methylsalicylic acid were excreted into the culture medium. A pathway is proposed for the initial reactions utilized by Pseudomonas Pxy to oxidize p- and m-xylene.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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