title: Carboxylation of o-cresol by an anaerobic consortium under methanogenic conditions.
abstract: The metabolism of o-cresol under methanogenic conditions by an anaerobic consortium known to carboxylate phenol to benzoate was investigated. After incubation with the consortium at 29 degrees C for 59 days, o-cresol was transformed to 3-methylbenzoic acid, which was not further metabolized by the consortium. Proteose peptone in the culture medium was essential for the transformation of o-cresol. In addition, a transient compound detected in the culture was identified as 4-hydroxy-3-methylbenzoic acid. o-Cresol-6d was transformed by the consortium to deuterated hydroxy-methylbenzoic acid and deuterated methylbenzoic acid. These results demonstrate that o-cresol is carboxylated in the para position relative to the phenolic hydroxyl group and dehydroxylated by the anaerobic consortium.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Microbiologie Appliquée, Institut Armand-Frappier, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bisaillon
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lépine
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beaudet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sylvestre
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D003408:Cresols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism; D008968:Molecular Conformation
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D003408:Cresols; D008697:Methane