title: Vanillate metabolism in Corynebacterium glutamicum.
abstract: Corynebacterium glutamicum, a Gram-positive soil bacterium belonging to the mycolic acids-containing actinomycetes, is able to use the lignin degradation products ferulate, vanillate, and protocatechuate as sole carbon sources. The gene cluster responsible for vanillate catabolism was identified and characterized. The vanAB genes encoding vanillate demethylase are organized in an operon together with the vanK gene, coding for a transport system most likely responsible for protocatechuate uptake. While gene disruption mutagenesis revealed that vanillate demethylase is indispensable for ferulate and vanillate utilization, a vanK mutation does not lead to a complete growth arrest but to a decreased growth rate on protocatechuate, indicating that one or more additional protocatechuate transporter(s) are present in C. glutamicum.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie, Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Str. 47, D-50674 , Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: Hedda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Merkens
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beckers
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wirtz
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burkovski
mesh_terms: D048230:Corynebacterium glutamicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000378:metabolism; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism; D014641:Vanillic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; C009091:protocatechuic acid; D008031:Lignin; D014641:Vanillic Acid