Hydrocarbon Metabolism by 'Brevibacterium erythrogenes': Normal and Branched Alkanes.
Abstract
Branched and straight chain hydrocarbons are metabolized by Brevibacterium erythrogenes by means of two distinct pathways. Normal alkanes are degraded, after terminal oxidation, by the beta-oxidation system operational in fatty acid catabolism. Branched alkanes like pristane and 2-methylundecane are degraded as dicarboxylic acids, which also undergo beta-oxidation. Pristane-derived intermediates are observed to accumulate, with time, as a series of dicarboxylic acid pathway is not observed in the presence of normal alkanes. Release of (14)CO2 from 1-(14)C-pristane is delayed, or entirely inhibited, in the presence of n-hexadecane, while CO2 release from n-hexadecane remains unaffected. These results suggest an inducible dicarboxylic acid pathway for degradation of branched chain alkanes. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 1974
- Accession Number
- AD0774700
Entities
People
- M. P. Pirnik
- R. Bartha
- R. M. Atlas
Organizations
- Rutgers University–New Brunswick