title: A novel degradation pathway in the assimilation of phenanthrene by Staphylococcus sp. strain PN/Y via meta-cleavage of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid: formation of trans-2,3-dioxo-5-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-pent-4-enoic acid.
abstract: Staphylococcus sp. strain PN/Y, capable of utilizing phenanthrene as a sole source of carbon and energy, was isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil. In the degradation of phenanthrene by strain PN/Y, various metabolites, isolated and identified by a combination of chromatographic and spectrometric analyses, revealed a novel phenanthrene assimilation pathway involving 2-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid. Metabolism of phenanthrene was initiated by the dioxygenation on the 1,2-position of phenanthrene followed by meta-cleavage of phenanthrene-1,2-diol, leading to 2-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid, which was then processed via a novel meta-cleavage pathway, leading to the formation of trans-2,3-dioxo-5-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-pent-4-enoic acid and subsequently to salicylic acid. In the lower pathway, salicylic acid was transformed to catechol, which was then metabolized by catechol-2,3-dioxygenase to 2-hydroxymuconaldehyde acid, ultimately forming TCA cycle intermediates. The catabolic genes involved in phenanthrene degradation were found to be plasmid-encoded. This detailed study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolism by a Gram-positive species involving a unique ring-cleavage dioxygenase in a novel phenanthrene degradation pathway provides a new insight into the microbial degradation of PAHs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Bose Institute, Kolkata 700054, India.
authors.forename: Somnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mallick
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Bose Institute, Kolkata 700054, India.
authors.forename: Subhankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Bose Institute, Kolkata 700054, India.
authors.forename: Tapan K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Dutta
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009284:Naphthols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009284:Naphthols; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons