Pathway for biodegradation of p-nitrophenol in a Moraxella sp

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5294703

Spain, J C ^[1]; Gibson, D T ^[2]

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1. Air Force Engineering and Services Center, Tyndall AFB, FL (USA)
2. Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City (USA)

A Moraxella strain grew on p-nitrophenol with stoichiometric release of nitrite. During induction of the enzymes for growth on p-nitrophenol, traces of hydroquinone accumulated in the medium. In the presence of 2,2{prime}-dipyidyl, p-nitrophenol, was converted stoichiometrically to hydroquinone. Particulate enzymes catalyzed the conversion of p-nitrophenol to hydroquinone in the presence of NADPH and oxygen. Soluble enzymes catalyzed the conversion of hydroquinone to {gamma}-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde, which was identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-mass spectroscopy. Upon addition of catalytic amounts of NAD{sup +}, {gamma}-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde was converted to {beta}-ketoadipic acid. In the presence of pyruvate and lactic dehydrogenase, substrate amounts of NAD were required and {gamma}-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde was converted to maleylacetic acid, which was identified by HPLC-mass spectroscopy. Similar results were obtained when the reaction was carried out in the presence of potassium ferricyanide. Extracts prepared from p-nitrophenol-grown cells also contained an enzyme that catalyzed the oxidation of 1,2,4-benzenetriol to maleylacetic acid. The enzyme responsible for the oxidation of 1,2,4-benzenetriol was separated from the enzyme responsible for hydroquinone oxidation by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The results indicate that the pathway for biodegradation of p-nitrophenol involves the initial removal of the nitro group as nitrite and formation of hydroquinone.

• OSTI ID: 5294703
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Vol. 57:3; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
NITROPHENOL
BIODEGRADATION
NUCLEOTIDE DEHYDROGENASES
FRACTIONATION
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
NITRITES
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DECOMPOSITION
ENZYMES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
NITRO COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
090900* - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-)
550300 - Cytology
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)