THE OXIDATION OF BENZOIC ACID BY MYCOBACTERIA I

Abstract

The intermediary metabolism of benzoate in these species was studied using the technique of simultaneous adaptation. BCG and M. butyricum formed catechol from benzoate. BCG also appeared to possess an alternate pathway to protocatechuate, but this was not an intermediate between benzoate and catechol. M. butyricum formed a ketone from catechol which was not beta-ketoadipic acid or any of the Keto acids in the Kreb''s cycle. No ketone was formed from catechol by BCG. Na dodecyl sulfate, a surface-active detergent, inhibited the formation of the adaptive enzyme for benzoate in BCG. M. phlei did not oxidize any of the postulated intermediate compounds.