A New Route for Ethylene Glycol Metabolism in Mycobacterium E44

Abstract

A Mycobacterium sp. which grows on ethylene and ethylene glycol was isolated from ditch water. Growth of the organism, respiration of washed organisms, experiments on excretion of metabolic intermediates and enzyme studies were consistent with a new route for the degradation of ethylene glycol via acetaldehyde and acetate. Cell-free extracts of organisms grown on ethylene glycol contained a diol dehydratase which required K+ or NH4 + for activity as well as coenzyme B12 (5′-deoxyadenosyl cobalamin). Ethylene glycol was not an intermediate in ethylene metabolism.