SALICYLATE AS INTERMEDIATE IN THE BREAKDOWN OF AROMATIC RING BY PSEUDOMONAS CONVEXA VAR. HIPPURICUM

Abstract

Pseudomonas convexa var. hippuricum cells harvested from hippurate medium were shown to possess the ability to oxidize hippurate, benzoate, salicylate, and catechol without lag phase. Acetone-dried preparations of these cells were found to possess enzymes for oxidizing these substrates. Several Pseudomonas strains were demonstrated to have the capacity to use salicylate as a sole source of carbon and energy. In the light of the results obtained on the utilization of benzoate, salicylate, and catechol by P. convexa var. hippuricum strain grown on those substrates, it is suggested that salicylate is an intermediate in the breakdown of benzoate.