title: Metabolism of naphthalene by Cunninghamella elegans.
abstract: Cunninghamella elegans grown on Sabouraud dextrose broth in the presence of naphthalene produced six metabolites. Each product was isolated and identified by conventional chemical techniques. The major metabolites were 1-naphthol (67.9%) and 4-hydroxy-1-tetralone (16.7%). Minor products isolated were 1,4-naphthoquinone (2.8%), 1,2-naphthoquinone (0.2%), 2-naphthol (6.3%), and trans-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (5.3%). C. elegans oxidized both 1-naphthol and 1,4-naphthoquinone to 4-hydroxy-1-tetralone. The results suggest that C. elegans oxidizes naphthalene by a sequence of reactions similar to those reported for the mammalian metabolism of this hydrocarbon.
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D009090:Mucorales / Q000378:metabolism*; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009284:Naphthols / Q000378:metabolism; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D009281:Naphthalenes; D009284:Naphthols; D009285:Naphthoquinones