title: Metabolism of cyclohexane carboxylic acid by Alcaligenes strain W1.
abstract: Thirty-three microorganisms capable of growth with cyclohexane carboxylate as the sole source of carbon were isolated from mud, water, and soil samples from the Aberystwyth area. Preliminary screening and whole-cell oxidation studies suggested that, with one exception, all of the strains metabolized the growth substrate by beta-oxidation of the coenzyme A ester. This single distinctive strain, able to oxidize rapidly trans-4-hydroxycyclohexane carboxylate, 4-ketocyclohexane carboxylate, p-hydroxybenzoate, and protocatechuate when grown with cyclohexane carboxylate, was classified as a strain of Alcaligenes and given the number W1. Enzymes capable of converting cyclohexane carboxylate to p-hydroxybenzoate were induced by growth with the alicyclic acid and included the first unambiguous specimen of a cyclohexane carboxylate hydroxylase. Because it is a very fragile protein, attempts to stabilize the cyclohexane carboxylate hydroxylase so that a purification procedure could be developed have consistently failed. In limited studies with crude cell extracts, we found that hydroxylation occurred at the 4 position, probably yielding the trans isomer of 4-hydroxycyclohexane carboxylate. Simultaneous measurement of oxygen consumption and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidation, coupled with an assessment of reactant stoichiometry, showed the enzyme to be a mixed-function oxygenase. Mass spectral analysis enabled the conversion of cyclohexane carboxylate to p-hydroxybenzoate by cell extracts to be established unequivocally, and all of our data were consistent with the pathway: cyclohexane carboxylate --> trans-4-hydroxycyclohexane carboxylate --> 4-ketocyclohexane carboxylate --> p-hydroxybenzoate. The further metabolism of p-hydroxybenzoate proceeded by meta fission and by the oxidative branch of the 2-hydroxy-4-carboxymuconic semialde-hyde-cleaving pathway.
mesh_terms: D000421:Alcaligenes / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000378:metabolism; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
chemical_list: D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D009243:NAD; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases