title: Degradation of 3-hydroxybenzoate by bacteria of the genus Bacillus.
abstract: The pathway whereby certain bacterial strains of the genus Bacillus degrade m-hydroxybenzoate is delineated. Of 12 strains examined, nine were tentatively classified as representatives of the species Bacillus brevis, two of Bacillus sphaericus and one of Bacillus megaterium. All strains degraded m-hydroxybenzoate via the same pathway. m-Hydroxybenzoate was hydroxylated to 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate (gentisate), which was oxidized by a gentisate 1,2-deoxygenase yielding maleylpyruvate. Maleylpyruvate was hydrolyzed without prior cis, cis to cis, trans isomerization yielding pyruvate and maleic acid. Numerous soils were examined by plate-count procedures and found to contain 10(4) to 10(6) aerobic sporeformers able to grow on m-hydroxybenzoate per g of dry soil.
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002474:Cell-Free System; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D005841:Gentisates / Q000378:metabolism; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000378:metabolism*; D007535:Isomerases / Q000378:metabolism; D008298:Maleates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D005841:Gentisates; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D008298:Maleates; D011773:Pyruvates; D010105:Oxygenases; D006867:Hydrolases; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase; D007535:Isomerases