title: Biotransformation of 4-sec-butylphenol by Gram-positive bacteria of the genera Mycobacterium and Nocardia including modifications on the alkyl chain and the hydroxyl group.
abstract: The environmental pollutant 4-sec-butylphenol (4-sec-BP) which possesses estrogenic properties was transformed by the aerobic Gram-positive bacteria Mycobacterium neoaurum and Nocardia cyriacigeorgica into three main products (P1-P3) which were isolated and structurally characterized in detail. Two of them were products of a process resembling anaerobic metabolism of alkylphenols based on modifications of the alkyl side chain of 4-sec-BP. The first product (P1) was identified as 4-(2-hydroxy-1-methylpropyl)-phenol. The second product P2 was isolated as a mixture of at least four structures which could be identified as I 4-sec-butylidenecyclohexa-2,5-dienone; II 4-(1-methylenepropyl)-phenol; III 4-(1-methylpropenyl)-phenol; and IV 4-(1-methylallyl)-phenol. In contrast to P1 and P2, the third product (P3) resulted from a modification of the hydroxyl group of 4-sec-BP. This product was only formed by M. neoaurum and was identified as the glucoside conjugate 4-sec-butylphenol-α-D-glucopyranoside. Since in general, fungi synthesize sugar conjugates to detoxify hazardous pollutants, the formation of this conjugate is a peculiarity of M. neoaurum. Thus, altogether, six products were formed from 4-sec-BP and different transformation pathways are introduced. The hydroxylating and glucosylating capacity of the characterized bacteria open up applications in environmental protection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 15, 17487, Greifswald, Germany. veronikahahn@gmx.at
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sünwoldt
authors.forename: Annett
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mikolasch
authors.forename: Frieder
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schauer
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001711:Biotransformation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009615:Nocardia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols