The metabolism of thymol by a Pseudomonas.
1. Pseudomonas putida when grown with thymol contained a meta-fission dioxygenase, which required ferrous ions and readily cleaved the benzene nucleus of catechols between adjacent carbon atoms bearing hydroxyl and isopropyl groups. 2. 3-Hydroxythymo-1,4-quinone was excreted towards the end of exponential growth and later was slowly metabolized. This compound was oxidized by partially purified extracts only when NADH was supplied; the substrate for the dioxygenase appeared to be 3-hydroxythymo-1,4-quinol, which was readily and non-enzymically oxidized to the quinone. 3. 2-Oxobutyrate (0.9 mole) was formed from 1 mole of 3-hydroxythymo-1,4-quinone with the consumption of 1 mole of oxygen; acetate, isobutyrate and 2-hydroxybutyrate (which arose from the enzymic reduction of 2-oxobutyrate) were also formed. 4. These products, which were produced only when the catechol substrate contained a third hydroxyl group, appeared to result from the enzymic hydrolysis of the ring-fission product.
D000085:Acetates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002087:Butyrates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002396:Catechols / Q000378:metabolism; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011809:Quinones / Q000378:metabolism; D013943:Thymol / Q000378:metabolism*
D000085:Acetates; D002087:Butyrates; D002396:Catechols; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D011809:Quinones; D009243:NAD; D013943:Thymol; D007501:Iron; D010105:Oxygenases