title: Degradation of homogentisate by strains of Bacillus and Moraxella.
abstract: The metabolic pathways whereby strains of Moraxella and Bacillus degrade homogentisate (2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate) are delineated. The Moraxella (strain OA3) is shown to degrade homogentisate via the pathway previously described in liver: homogentisate is cleaved by a 1,2-dioxygenase (E.C 1.13.11.5) yielding maleylacetoacetate which is isomerized by a GSH-dependent isomerase to fumarylacetoacetate before hydrolysis to acetoacetate and fumarate. A strain of Bacillus (B11c) is shown to catabolize homogentisate via a previously undescribed version of the above sequence: homogentisate is cleaved by a 1,2-dioxygenase (E.C 1.13.11.5) yielding maleylacetoacetate which is hydrolyzed directly to acetoacetate and maleate.
mesh_terms: D000090:Acetoacetates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002474:Cell-Free System; D005650:Fumarates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006713:Homogentisic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008298:Maleates / Q000378:metabolism; D009016:Moraxella / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000090:Acetoacetates; D005650:Fumarates; D008298:Maleates; D014443:Tyrosine; D010105:Oxygenases; D006713:Homogentisic Acid