This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bossert, I D Articles by Young, L Y Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bossert, I D Articles by Young, L Y Agricola Articles by Bossert, I D Articles by Young, L Y

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 November; 52(5): 1117-1122

Anaerobic oxidation of p-cresol by a denitrifying bacterium.

ABSTRACT

Metabolism of p-cresol (pCr) under nitrate-reducing conditions is mediated by the denitrifying bacterial isolate PC-07. The methyl substituent of the substrate is oxidized anaerobically by whole-cell suspensions of PC-07 through a series of dehydrogenation and hydration reactions to yield p-hydroxybenzoate (pOHB) in stoichiometric proportions. The partially oxidized intermediates in the pathway p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde can also serve as substrates for pOHB formation. Nitrate is required as the external electron acceptor and is reduced to molecular N2. Reduction of the nitrate is stoichiometric, with pCr serving as the electron donor. In addition, the molar relationship between the electron acceptor (NO3-) reduced to the electron donor oxidized decreased to approximately 2:3 and then to 1:3 when p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol or p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, respectively, served as substrates. The decreased ratios were to be expected when the partially oxidized intermediates served as substrates, because they provided correspondingly less reducing power for pOHB formation. The anaerobic oxidation of pCr by PC-07 demonstrates a mechanism whereby aromatic compounds can be transformed in anoxic environments.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Johannes, J., Bluschke, A., Jehmlich, N., von Bergen, M., Boll, M. (2008). Purification and Characterization of Active-Site Components of the Putative p-Cresol Methylhydroxylase Membrane Complex from Geobacter metallireducens. J. Bacteriol. 190: 6493-6500 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Peters, F., Heintz, D., Johannes, J., van Dorsselaer, A., Boll, M. (2007). Genes, Enzymes, and Regulation of para-Cresol Metabolism in Geobacter metallireducens. J. Bacteriol. 189: 4729-4738 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Müller, J. A., Galushko, A. S., Kappler, A., Schink, B. (2001). Initiation of Anaerobic Degradation of p-Cresol by Formation of 4-Hydroxybenzylsuccinate in Desulfobacterium cetonicum. J. Bacteriol. 183: 752-757 [Abstract] [Full Text]