title: Pathways of 4-hydroxybenzoate degradation among species of Bacillus.
abstract: The pathways used by three bacterial strains of the genus Bacillus to degrade 4-hydroxybenzoate are delineated. When B. brevis strain PHB-2 is grown on 4-hydroxybenzoate, enzymes of the protocatechuate branch of the beta-ketoadipate pathway are induced. In contrast, B. circulans strain 3 contains high levels of the enzymes of the protocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase pathway after growth on 4-hydroxybenzoate. B. laterosporus strain PHB-7a degrades 4-hydroxybenzoate by a novel reaction sequence. After growth on 4-hydroxybenzoate, strain PHB-7a contains high levels of gentisate oxygenase (EC 1.13.11.4) and maleylpyruvate hydrolase. Whole cells of strain PHB-7a (grown on 4-hydroxylbenzoate) accumulate 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate (gentisate) from 4-hydroxybenzoate when incubated in the presence of 1mM alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl. Thus, strain PHB-7a appears to convert 4-hydroxybenzoate to gentisate, which is further degraded by the glutathione-independent gentisic acid pathway. These pathway delineations provide evidence that Bacillus species are derived from a diverse evolutionary background.
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001565:Benzoates / Q000378:metabolism; D002474:Cell-Free System; D005841:Gentisates / Q000378:metabolism; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D005841:Gentisates; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D010105:Oxygenases; D006867:Hydrolases