DEGRADATION OF AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS BY FUNGI: I. FATE OF L-PHENYLALANINE IN SCHIZOPHYLLUM COMMUNE

Abstract

Growing cultures of Schizophyllum commune could produce 14CO2 from ring-labelled DL-phenylalanine-14C. Intermediates in the pathway of L-phenylalanine degradation prior to ring cleavage were shown to be cinnamic acid, benzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and protocatechuic acid. Phenylacetic acid and L(−)-β-phenyllactic acid were also identified as products of phenylalanine metabolism.