Degradation of 3-Hydroxybenzoate by Bacteria of the Genus Bacillus

摘要

The pathway whereby certain bacterial strains of the genus Bacillus degrade m-hydroxybenzoate is delineated. Of 12 strains examined, nine were tentatively classified as representatives of the species Bacillus brevis, two of Bacillus sphaericus and one of Bacillus megaterium. All strains degraded m-hydroxybenzoate via the same pathway. m-Hydroxybenzoate was hydroxylated to 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate (gentisate), which was oxidized by a gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase yielding maleylpyruvate. Maleylpyruvate was hydrolyzed without prior cis, cis to cis, trans isomerization yielding pyruvate and maleic acid. Numerous soils were examined by plate-count procedures and found to contain 104 to 106 aerobic sporeformers able to grow on m-hydroxybenzoate per g of dry soil.