Mutagenic activity of possible metabolites of 4-nitrobiphenyl ether

A series of possible metabolites--4-nitrosobiphenyl ether (4-NO), 4-hydroxylaminobiphenyl ether (4-NHOH), 4-aminobiphenyl ether (4-NH2), 4-hydroxyacetylaminobiphenyl ether (4-N(OH)Ac), 4-acetoxyacetylaminobiphenyl ether (4-N(OAc)Ac)involved in the toxic effects of 4-nitrobiphenyl ether (4-NO2) was synthesized and tested for mutagenic activity toward Salmonella typhimurium TA100 strain in the presence and the absence of liver homogenates of guinea pig treated with Kaneclor-500. 4-NO2, 4-NO and 4-NHOH showed direct-acting mutagenicity. 4-NO and 4-NHOH showed high mutagenic activity, while the mutagenic activity of 4-NO2 was very weak compared to 4-NO and 4-NHOH. 4-NO showed antimicrobial action at high concentrations. The other three compounds tested induced no mutation. Upon addition of NAD(P)H, the mutagenic activities of 4-NO and 4-NHOH were slightly enhanced, but no enhancement was observed by addition of NAD(P)+. Metabolic activation with guinea pig liver homogenates enhanced the mutagenic activities of 4-NO2 and 4-NO, and converted 4-NH2, 4-N(OH)Ac and 4-N(OAc)Ac to the product(s) responsible for the mutagenic activity. Addition of bis(p-nitrophenyl)phosphate, a deacetylase inhibitor, inhibited the mutagenic activities of 4-N(OH)Ac and 4-N(OAc)Ac by about 70% in the presence of NADPH and about 77% in the absence of NADPH. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of non-enzymatic conversion-products of 4-NHOH and 4-BO with and without NADPH indicated that 4-NHOH disappeared after 30 min of incubation and was converted completely to 4-NO without NADPH, while with NADPH, 4-NHOH disappeared very slowly and was detected even after 4 h of incubation. In the case of 4-NO, no decrease of 4-NO was observed without NADPH, while with NADPH 4-NO decreased quickly and a significant amount of 4-NHOH appeared. The mechanism of the NAD(P)H-dependent increase in mutagenicity is also discussed.     

荧光分光光度法检测交联透明质酸中交联剂残留量

目的建立一种1,4丁二醇二缩水甘油醚（1,4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether,BDDE）透明质酸中交联剂BDDE的残留量的检测方法。方法采用荧光分光光度法测定BDDE的残留量。BDDE与烟碱反应在激发光380nm作用下产生荧光,其荧光强度与BDDE的量成正比,用荧光分光光度计在波长为435nm处检测其强度。结果BDDE在0．25ug／g～8ug／g线性关系良好,线性相关系数r=0．9999,平均回收率为101．5％（RSD为0．9％）。结论测量结果准确,方法简单可靠,可用于交联透明质酸水凝胶产品质量控制。     

Mutagenic action of a series of epoxides.

The mutagenicity of a series of 13 epoxide compounds was studied using a bacterial plate assay system. The histidine-dependent tester strains TA98 (for frameshift mutagens) and TA100 (for base-pair substitution mutagens) of Salmonella typhimurium were used. Mutagenicity was evaluated both with and without the additon of rat liver microsomal extract. Dieldrin, diglycidyl ether of bis phenol A and 3 of its homologues were not mutagenic. Allyl glycidyl ether, n-butyl glycidyl ether, vinly cyclohexene diepoxide, glycidol, glycidal-dehyde, diglycidyl ether, diepoxybutane and diglycidyl ether of substituted glycerine were mutagenic in the TA100 strain, causing reversion of the bacteria to histidine independence. Dose-reponse curves of the mutagenicity of the latter 4 compounds were obtained. On a molar basis, glycidaldehyde was about 20-50 times more potent in producing mutation that were the other 3 epoxides in the dose-response test. In general, the mutagenicity of the epoxides was not enhanced or diminished by the addition of microsomal extract.     

Quantitative detection of bisphenol A and bisphenol A diglycidyl ether metabolites in human plasma by liquid chromatography–electrospray mass spectrometry

Due to the ubiquity of epoxy resin compounds and their potential role in increasing the risk for reproductive dysfunction and cancer, the need for an assessment of human exposure is urgent. Therefore, we developed a method for measuring bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) metabolites in human blood samples using high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Human blood samples were processed using enzymatic deconjugation of the glucuronides followed by a novel sample preparation procedure using a solid-phase-cartridge column. This selective analytical method permits rapid detection of the metabolites, free BPA and a hydrolysis product of BADGE (BADGE-4OH) with detection limits in the low nanogram per milliliter range (0.1 ng ml⁻¹ of BPA and 0.5 ng ml⁻¹ of BADGE-4OH). The sample extraction was achieved by Oasis HLB column on gradient elution. The recoveries of BPA and BADGE-4OH added to human plasma samples were above 70.0% with a standard deviation of less than 5.0%. This selective, sensitive and accurate method will assist in elucidating potential associations between human exposure to epoxy-based compounds and adverse health effects.     

环氧交联剂和氨基载体固定化海洋假丝酵母脂肪酶*

游离酶经过固定化后,稳定性和环境耐受性得到提高,在食品、医药、化工、环境和皮革等领域可以很好的提高酶的利用率并降低生产成本,具有极大的应用潜力。新型交联剂在固定化酶工艺的应用极大推进了固定化酶研究的深入。借助新型交联剂聚乙二醇二缩水甘油醚(PEGDGE),利用氨基载体LX-1000HA固定化海洋假丝酵母脂肪酶,结合单因素和正交试验优化得到交联及固定化条件为:交联温度30℃,交联2h,交联剂浓度0.75%,pH7.0,加酶量800U,载体量0.5g,固定化2h,固定化温度45℃。根据上述最佳固定化工艺,制备得到固定化酶LX-1000HA-PEGDGE-CRL在最适条件下测得酶活达到160.81U/g,约为此前制备的固定化酶LX-1000HA-GA-CRL(由LX-1000HA和戊二醛交联脂肪酶得到)和LX-1000EA-PEGDGE-CRL(由短链氨基载体LX-1000EA和PEGDGE交联脂肪酶得到)酶活的2倍,发现固定化酶LX-1000HA-PEGDGE-CRL的最适反应温度相比于游离酶提高15℃;在70℃的环境中3h后酶活仍存留70%;循环使用6次后残留65%左右的酶活;酸碱耐受性和储存稳定性也表现良好,4℃保存30天后剩余约70%的初始酶活。同时,将制备的固定化酶LX-1000HA-PEGDGE-CRL与游离酶、固定化酶LX-1000HA-GA-CRL、固定化酶LX-1000EA-PEGDGE-CRL进行了比较,发现固定化酶LX-1000HA-PEGDGE-CRL在温度耐受性和重复使用性等方面具有更好的使用效果。     

Improvement of hyaluronic acid enzymatic stability by the grafting of amino-acids

Injection of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogels has proven to provide many therapeutic benefits. To increase the stability of HA-based products against enzymatic digestion, we modified hyaluronic acid by grafting various amino acids on its carboxylic group and then evaluated the enzymatic stability of the various conjugates in presence of a hyaluronidase. Our results showed that all amino acid-modified HA polymers were more resistant to degradation compared to the native HA albeit with variation according to the amino acids. Amino acids with carboxylate groups such as aspartic acid or with hydroxyl functions (threonine, serine or tyrosine) conferred a particularly strong resistance to HA towards enzymatic digestion. The HA-amino acid products were then cross-linked with butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE). The swelling properties of the formed hydrogels appeared close to native HA whereas the increased resistance towards hyaluronidase digestion remained. These results suggest that amino acid-modified HA derivatives can become promising material for viscosupplementation or drug delivery.     

Biodegradation of bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) ether via initial ether scission and subsequent dehalogenation by<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Rhodococcus</Emphasis> sp. strain DTB

Rhodococcus sp. strain DTB (DSM 44534) grows on bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) ether (DDE) as sole source of carbon and energy. The non-chlorinated diisopropyl ether and bis(1-hydroxy-2-propyl) ether, however, did not serve as substrates. In ether degradation experiments with dense cell suspensions, 1-chloro-2-propanol and chloroacetone were formed, which indicated that scission of the ether bond is the first step while dehalogenation of the chlorinated C(3)-compounds occurs at a later stage of the degradation pathway. Inhibition of ether scission by methimazole suggested that the first step in degradation is catalyzed by a flavin-dependent enzyme activity. The non-chlorinated compounds 1,2-propanediol, hydroxyacetone, lactate, pyruvate, 1-propanol, propanal, and propionate also supported growth, which suggested that the intermediates 1,2-propanediol and hydroxyacetone are converted to pyruvate or to propionate, which can be channeled into the citric acid cycle by a number of routes. Total release of chloride and growth-yield experiments with DDE and non-chlorinated C(3)-compounds suggested complete biodegradation of the chlorinated ether.     

Activity of organophosphorus insecticides in bacterial tests for mutagenicity and DNA repair--direct alkylation versus metabolic activation and breakdown. II. O,O-dimethyl-O-(1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethyl)-phosphate and two O-ether derivatives of trichlorfon

The following organophosphates were tested for their ability to induce DNA damage in a rec-type repair test with Proteus mirabilis strains PG713 (rec- hcr-) and PG273 (wild-type) and point mutations in the his- strain TA100 of Salmonella typhimurium: O,O-dimethyl-O-(1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethyl)-phosphate (NALED); trichlorfon-O-methyl ether (TCP-O-ME), O,O-dimethyl-(1-methoxy-2,2,2-trichlorethyl)-phosphonate; trichlorfon-O-methyl ether vinyl derivative (TCP-O-MEVD), O,O-dimethyl-(1-methoxy-2,2-dichlorovinyl)-phosphonate. All compounds were negative in the repair test but induced base pair substitutions in S. typhimurium. The mutagenicity of NALED is due to the direct alkylating ability of the parental molecule and to mutagenic metabolites generated by enzymatic splitting of the side chain. Glutathion-dependent enzymes in the S9-mix eliminate the mutagenic activity of NALED completely. Mutation induction by TCP-O-ME and TCP-O-MEVD is predominantly caused by the reactive O-methyl ether configuration of the side chain and is resistant to metabolic inactivation by NADPH- or glutathion-dependent enzymatic pathways in the S9-mix of mice.     

Comparative mutagenicity of aliphatic epoxides in Salmonella

37 aliphatic epoxides comprising 6 subclasses (unsubstituted aliphatic epoxides, halogenated aliphatic epoxides, glycidyl esters, glycidates, glycidyl ethers and diglycidyl ethers) were tested, under code, for mutagenicity in Salmonella strains TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537 and/or TA97 with and without metabolic activation using a standardized protocol. The 4 halogenated aliphatic epoxides and the 4 diglycidyl ethers were all mutagenic. The 2 glycidates were negative in all strain/activation systems used while all 5 glycidyl esters were mutagenic. 3 of the 8 unsubstituted aliphatic epoxides and 11 of the 12 glycidyl ethers were mutagenic. Glycidol also was mutagenic whereas 9,10-epoxyoctadecanoic acid, 2-ethylhexyl ester was not mutagenic. Of the 28 mutagenic compounds, all but neodecanoic acid, 2,3-epoxypropyl ester and 2-ethylhexyl glycidyl ether were detected in TA100 without activation. The latter two were detected only with activation in TA100 and TA1535. The majority of the other 26 chemicals were also mutagenic in TA1535 without activation. Good intra- and interlaboratory reproducibility was seen in the results of each of the 4 chemicals tested in more than one set of experiments. The current results confirm and extend the observations of other investigators regarding structural effects on the mutagenicity of members of the aliphatic epoxide class of chemicals.     

Metabolism of phenol and resorcinol in Trichosporon cutaneum.

Trichosporon cutaneum was grown with phenol or resorcinol as the carbon source. The formation of beta-ketoadipate from phenol, catechol, and resorcinol was shown by a manometric method using antipyrine and also by its isolation and crystallization. Metabolism of phenol begins with o-hydroxylation. This is followed by ortho-ring fission, lactonization to muconolactone, and delactonization to beta-ketoadipate. No meta-ring fission could be demonstrated. Metabolism of resorcinol begins with o-hydroxylation to 1,2,4-benzenetriol, which undergoes ortho-ring fission yielding maleylacetate. Isolating this product leads to its decarboxylation and isomerization to trans-acetylacrylic acid. Maleylacetate is reduced by crude extracts to beta-ketoadipate with either reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate as a cosubstrate. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction was separated from catechol 1,2-oxygenase, phenol hydroxylase, and muconate lactonizing enzyme on a diethyl-aminoethyl-Sephadex A50 column. As a result it was purified some 50-fold, as was the muconate-lactonizing enzyme. Methyl-, fluoro-, and chlorophenols are converted to a varying extent by crude extracts and by purified enzymes. None of these derivatives is converted to maleylacetate, beta-ketoadipate, or their derivatives. Cells grown on resorcinol contain enzymes that participate in the degradation of phenol and vice versa.     

Purification and characterization of a bacterial dehalogenase with activity toward halogenated alkanes, alcohols and ethers

An enzyme that is capable of hydrolytic conversion of halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons to their corresponding alcohols was purified from a 1,6-dichlorohexane-degrading bacterium. The dehalogenase was found to be a monomeric protein of relative molecular mass 28,000. The affinity for its substrates was relatively low with Km values for short-chain haloalkanes in the range 0.1-0.9 mM. The aliphatic dehalogenase showed a much broader substrate range than has been reported for halidohydrolases so far. Novel classes of substrates include dihalomethanes, C5-C9 1-halo-n-alkanes, secondary alkylhalides, halogenated alcohols and chlorinated ethers. Several of these compounds are important environmental pollutants, e.g. methylbromide, dibromomethane, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1,3-dichloropropene, and bis(2-chloroethyl)ether. The degradation of chiral 2-bromoalkanes appeared to proceed without stereochemical preference. Optically active 2-bromobutane was converted with inversion of configuration at the chiral carbon atom, suggesting that the dehalogenase reaction proceeds by a nucleophilic substitution involving a carboxyl group or base catalysis.     

Heterologous expression and identification of the genes involved in anaerobic degradation of 1,3-dihydroxybenzene (resorcinol) in Azoarcus anaerobius

Azoarcus anaerobius, a strictly anaerobic, gram-negative bacterium, utilizes resorcinol as a sole carbon and energy source with nitrate as an electron acceptor. Previously, we showed that resorcinol degradation by this bacterium is initiated by two oxidative steps, both catalyzed by membrane-associated enzymes that lead to the formation of hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ; 1,2,4-benzenetriol) and 2-hydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone (HBQ). This study presents evidence for the further degradation of HBQ in cell extracts to form acetic and malic acids. To identify the A. anaerobius genes required for anaerobic resorcinol catabolism, a cosmid library with genomic DNA was constructed and transformed into the phylogenetically related species Thauera aromatica, which cannot grow with resorcinol. By heterologous complementation, a transconjugant was identified that gained the ability to metabolize resorcinol. Its cosmid, designated R(+), carries a 29.88-kb chromosomal DNA fragment containing 22 putative genes. In cell extracts of T. aromatica transconjugants, resorcinol was degraded to HHQ, HBQ, and acetate, suggesting that cosmid R(+) carried all of the genes necessary for resorcinol degradation. On the basis of the physiological characterization of T. aromatica transconjugants carrying transposon insertions in different genes of cosmid R(+), eight open reading frames were found to be essential for resorcinol mineralization. Resorcinol hydroxylase-encoding genes were assigned on the basis of sequence analysis and enzyme assays with two mutants. Putative genes for hydroxyhydroquinone dehydrogenase and enzymes involved in ring fission have also been proposed. This work provides the first example of the identification of genes involved in the anaerobic degradation of aromatic compounds by heterologous expression of a cosmid library in a phylogenetically related organism.     

Genotoxicity of the coating lacquer on food cans, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), its hydrolysis products and a chlorohydrin of BADGE

The epoxy resin bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), its hydrolysis products and a chlorohydrin of BADGE (BADGE·2HCl), were examined for their genotoxicity in the micronucleus test (MNT) with human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro, in presence and in absence of an exogenous metabolizing system S9 rat liver. The treatment was done using different compound concentrations up to cytotoxic doses. The concentrations tested ranged between 12.5 to 62.5 μg/ml of BADGE, 12.5 to 62.5 μg/ml of first BADGE hydrolysis product (BADGE·H₂O), 25.0 to 100.0 μg/ml of second BADGE hydrolysis product (BADGE·2H₂O) and 6.25 to 50.0 μg/ml of BADGE·2HCl. These compounds are able to induce both cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, as revealed by the increases observed in cytokinesis block proliferation index (CBPI) and in micronuclei (MN) frequencies, respectively.     

Two distinct pathways for anaerobic degradation of aromatic compounds in the denitrifying bacterium Thauera aromatica strain AR-1

Denitrifying bacteria degrade many different aromatic compounds anaerobically via the well-described benzoyl-CoA pathway. We have shown recently that the denitrifiers Azoarcus anaerobius and Thauera aromatica strain AR-1 use a different pathway for anaerobic degradation of resorcinol (1,3-dihydroxybenzene) and 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate, respectively. Both substrates are converted to hydroxyhydroquinone (1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene). In the membrane fraction of T. aromatica strain AR-1 cells grown with 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate, a hydroxyhydroquinone-dehydrogenating activity of 74 nmol min(-1)(mg protein)-1 was found. This activity was significantly lower in benzoate-grown cells. Benzoate-grown cells were not induced for degradation of 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate, and cells grown with 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate degraded benzoate only at a very low rate. With a substrate mixture of benzoate plus 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate, the cells showed diauxic growth. Benzoate was degraded first, while complete degradation of 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate occurred only after a long lag phase. The 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate-oxidizing and the hydroxyhydroquinone-dehydrogenating activities were fully induced only during 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate degradation. Synthesis of benzoyl-CoA reductase appeared to be significantly lower in 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate-grown cells as shown by immunoblotting. These results confirm that T. aromatica strain AR-1 harbors, in addition to the benzoyl-CoA pathway, a second, mechanistically distinct pathway for anaerobic degradation of aromatic compounds. This pathway is inducible and subject to catabolite repression by benzoate.     

Studies on the degradation of human very low density lipoproteins by human milk lipoprotein lipase

Human milk lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was purified by heparin-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. The time required for the purification was approximately 2 h. The acetone-diethyl ether powder of milk cream was extracted by a 0.1% Triton X-100 buffer solution and the extract was applied to the heparin-Sepharose 4B column. The partially purified LPL eluted by heparin had a specific activity of 5120 units/mg which represented a 2500-fold purification of the enzyme. The LPL was found to be stable in the heparin solution for at least 2 days at 4 °C. This enzyme preparation was found to be free of the bile salt-activated lipase activity, esterase activity, and cholesterol esterase activity. The LPL had no demonstrable basal activity with emulsified triolein in the absence of a serum cofactor. The enzyme was activated by serum and by apolipoprotein C-II. The application of milk LPL to studies on the in vitro degradation of human very low density lipoproteins can result in a 90–97% triglyceride hydrolysis. The LPL degraded very low density lipoprotein triglyceride and phospholipid without any effect on cholesterol esters. Of the partial glycerides potentially generated by lipolysis with milk LPL, only monoglycerides were present in measurable amounts after 60 min of lipolysis. These results show that the partially purified human milk LPL with its high specific activity and ease of purification represents a very suitable enzyme preparation for studying the kinetics and reaction mechanisms involved in the lipolytic degradation of human triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.     

Mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-dihydrodiol and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene 3,4-dihydrodiol in S. typhimurium mediated by microsomes from rat liver and mouse skin

The mutagenic activities of trans-7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo[a]-pyrene (BP 7,8-diol) and of trans-3,4-dihydroxy-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]-anthracene (DMBA 3,4-diol) towards S. typhimurium TA100 were measured in assays that were carried out on a micro-scale in liquid medium in the presence of microsomal fractions prepared from mouse skin or rat liver. In the presence of an NADPH-generating system, microsomal enzymes converted both diols into mutagens that were probably the respective 'bay-region' diol-epoxides. The rate of the enzyme-catalysed conversion of the BP 7,8-diol into mutagens by microsomal preparations from mouse epidermis was similar to that occurring with microsomes from rat liver. Pretreatment of mice by the topical application of benz[a]anthracene (BA) or 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]-anthracene (DMBA) increased the mutagenic activity of BP 7,8-diol mediated by mouse skin microsomal preparations by 2-fold and this was paralleled by a 4-fold increase in epidermal aryl hydrocarbon (benzo[a]pyrene) hydroxylase (AHH) activity. The results are discussed in relation to the high susceptibility of mouse skin to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) carcinogenesis.     

3-Hydroxyisoflavanones from the stem bark of Dalbergia melanoxylon: Isolation,antimycobacterial evaluation and molecular docking studies

Two new 3-hydroxyisoflavanones, (S)-3,4′,5-trihydroxy-2′,7-dimethoxy-3′-prenylisoflavanone (trivial name kenusanone F 7-methyl ether) and (S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2′,7-dimethoxy-2″,2″-dimethylpyrano[5″,6″:3′,4′]isoflavanone (trivial name sophoronol-7-methyl ether) along with two known compounds (dalbergin and formononetin) were isolated from the stem bark of Dalbergia melanoxylon. The structures were elucidated using spectroscopic techniques. Kenusanone F 7-methyl ether showed activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whereas both of the new compounds were inactive against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum at 10 μg/ml. Docking studies showed that the new compounds kenusanone F 7-methyl ether and sophoronol-7-methyl ether have high affinity for the M. tuberculosis drug target INHA.     

Genetic Characterization of the Resorcinol Catabolic Pathway in Corynebacterium glutamicum

Corynebacterium glutamicum grew on resorcinol as a sole source of carbon and energy. By genome-wide data mining, two gene clusters, designated NCgl1110-NCgl1113 and NCgl2950-NCgl2953, were proposed to encode putative proteins involved in resorcinol catabolism. Deletion of the NCgl2950-NCgl2953 gene cluster did not result in any observable phenotype changes. Disruption and complementation of each gene at NCgl1110-NCgl1113, NCgl2951, and NCgl2952 indicated that these genes were involved in resorcinol degradation. Expression of NCgl1112, NCgl1113, and NCgl2951 in Escherichia coli revealed that NCgl1113 and NCgl2951 both coded for hydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenases and NCgl1112 coded for maleylacetate reductases. NCgl1111 encoded a putative monooxygenase, but this putative hydroxylase was very different from previously functionally identified hydroxylases. Cloning and expression of NCgl1111 in E. coli revealed that NCgl1111 encoded a resorcinol hydroxylase that needs NADPH as a cofactor. E. coli cells containing Ncgl1111 and Ncgl1113 sequentially converted resorcinol into maleylacetate. NCgl1110 and NCgl2950 both encoded putative TetR family repressors, but only NCgl1110 was transcribed and functional. NCgl2953 encoded a putative transporter, but disruption of this gene did not affect resorcinol degradation by C. glutamicum. The function of NCgl2953 remains unclear.     

Evidence of cytochrome P450-catalyzed cleavage of the ether bond of phenoxybutyrate herbicides in Rhodococcus erythropolis K2-3

Bacterial strain Rhodococcus erythropolis K2-3 can cleave theether bond of the phenoxybutyrate herbicides, i.e., 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)butyrate(2,4-DB) and 4-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)butyrate (MCPB), by anenzyme system that is constitutively expressed. The enzyme(s) involved were investigated in this study. The rate ofdisappearance of 2,4-DB determined in a whole cell assay amounted to0.6 mmol/h ¶ g_{dry mass}.Carbon monoxide difference spectra of dithionite-reduced wholecells and crude cell extracts suggested that strain K2-3 contains a soluble cytochrome P450(P450), named P450_PB-1. The addition of various phenoxybutyrate substrates to crude cell extracts resulted in typical difference spectra following the type I pattern ofsubstrate binding with P450. The rate of 2,4-DB cleavage was reduced by inhibitors of P450: 5 mM metyrapone and carbon monoxide at a CO/O₂ ratio of 10 reduced the activity by about 20%, and 70%, respectively. The ether cleaving activity completely disappearedafter disruption of the cells and could not be detected in crude extracts. To elucidate theenzymatic basis of this reaction, P450 was partially purified. With the resulting enzyme preparation,2,4-DB cleavage activity was re-established, becoming measurable after the addition of eitherphenazine methosulfate or ferredoxin and ferredoxin/NADP oxidoreductase from spinach. We detected no activities attributable to -ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase orNAD(P)H-dependent monooxygenase. These results collectively indicatethat cleavage of the ether bond of phenoxybutyrate herbicides is catalyzed by P450-mediated activityin this strain. One of the products derived from this reaction is dichlorophenol, and comparativechromatographic analyses suggest that the other product is a C4-carbonicacid, most likely succinic semialdehyde/succinate.     

Comparative proteomes of Corynebacterium glutamicum grown on aromatic compounds revealed novel proteins involved in aromatic degradation and a clear link between aromatic catabolism and gluconeogenesis via fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase

The current study examined the aromatic degradation and central metabolism in Corynebacterium glutamicum by proteomic and molecular methods. Comparative analysis of proteomes from cells grown on gentisate and on glucose revealed that 30% of the proteins of which their abundance changed were involved in aromatic degradation and central carbon metabolism. Similar results were obtained from cells grown on benzoate, 4-cresol, phenol, and resorcinol. Results from these experiments revealed that (i) enzymes involved in degradation of benzoate, 4-cresol, gentisate, phenol, and resorcinol were specifically synthesized and (ii) that the abundance of enzymes involved in central carbon metabolism of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pentose phosphate pathway, and TCA cycles were significantly changed on various aromatic compounds. Significantly, three novel proteins, NCgl0524, NCgl0525, and NCgl0527, were identified on 4-cresol. The genes encoding NCgl0525 and NCgl0527 were confirmed to be necessary for assimilation of 4-cresol with C. glutamicum. The abundance of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (Fbp) was universally increased on all the tested aromatic compounds. This Fbp gene was disrupted and the mutant WT(Deltafbp) lost the ability to grow on aromatic compounds. Genetic complementation by the Fbp gene restored this ability. We concluded that gluconeogenesis is a necessary process for C. glutamicum growing on various aromatic compounds.