Metabolism of aromatic aldehydes as cosubstrates by the acetogen Clostridium formicoaceticum

When the acetogen Clostridium formicoaceticum was cultivated on mixtures of aromatic compounds (e.g., 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde plus vanillate), the oxidation of aromatic aldehyde groups occurred more rapidly than did O-demethylation. Likewise, when fructose and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde were simultaneously provided as growth substrates, fructose was utilized only after the aromatic aldehyde group was oxidized to the carboxyl level. Aromatic aldehyde oxidoreductase activity was constitutive (activities approximated 0.8 U mg^–1), and when pulses of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde were added during fructose-dependent growth, the rate at which fructose was utilized decreased until 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde was consumed. Although 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde inhibited the capacity of cells to metabolize fructose, lactate or gluconate were consumed simultaneously with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and lactate or aromatic compounds lacking an aldehyde group were utilized concomitantly with fructose. These results demonstrate that (1) aromatic aldehydes can be utilized as cosubstrates and have negative effects on the homoacetogenic utilization of fructose by C. formicoaceticum, and (2) the consumption of certain substrates by this acetogen is not subject to catabolite repression by fructose. Received: 14 May 1998 / Accepted: 7 August 1998