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Conversion of chlorobiphenyls into phenylhexadienoates and benzoates by the enzymes of the upper pathway for polychlorobiphenyl degradation encoded by the bph locus of Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400.

Abstract

Metabolism of 21 chlorobiphenyls by the enzymes of the upper biphenyl catabolic pathway encoded by the bph locus of Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400 was investigated by using recombinant strains harboring gene cassettes containing bphABC or bphABCD. The enzymes of the upper pathway were generally able to metabolize mono- and dichlorinated biphenyls but only partially transform most trichlorinated congeners investigated: 14 of 15 mono- and dichlorinated and 2 of 6 trichlorinated congeners were converted into benzoates. All mono- and at least 8 of 12 dichlorinated congeners were attacked by the bphA-encoded biphenyl dioxygenase virtually exclusively at ortho and meta carbons. This enzyme exhibited a high degree of selectivity for the aromatic ring to be attacked, with the order of ring preference being non- > ortho- > meta- > para-substituted for mono- and dichlorinated congeners. The influence of the chlorine substitution pattern of the metabolized ring on benzoate formation resembled its influence on the reactivity of initial dioxygenation, suggesting that the rate of benzoate formation may frequently be determined by the rate of initial attack. The absorption spectra of phenylhexadienoates formed correlated with the presence or absence of a chlorine substituent at an ortho position.

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Conversion of chlorobiphenyls into phenylhexadienoates and benzoates by the enzymes of the upper pathway for polychlorobiphenyl degradation encoded by the bph locus of Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400.

Author: Seeger, M,Timmis, K N,Hofer, B
Year: 1995
Source: https://repository.helmholtz-hzi.de/bitstream/10033/620811/1/Seeger%2c%20Timmis%2c%20Hofer.pdf
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, July 1995, p. 2654–2658 Vol. 61, No. 7
0099-2240/95/$04.0010
Copy igh q1995, Ame ican Socie y o Mic obiology
Con e sion o Chlo obiphenyls in o Phenylhexadienoa es and
Benzoa es by he Enzymes o he Uppe Pa hway o
Polychlo obiphenyl Deg ada ion Encoded by he
bph Locus o Pseudomonas sp. S ain LB400
MICHAEL SEEGER,
1,2
KENNETH N. TIMMIS,
1
AND BERND HOFER
1
*
Depa men o Mic obiology, Gesellscha u¨ Bio echnologische Fo schung-Na ional Resea ch
Cen e o Bio echnology, D-38124 B aunschweig, Ge many,
1
and Depa amen o de
Bioquı´mica, Facul ad de Medicina, Uni e sidad de Chile, San iago, Chile
2
Recei ed 30 Janua y 1995/Accep ed 1 May 1995
Me abolism o 21 chlo obiphenyls by he enzymes o he uppe biphenyl ca abolic pa hway encoded by he
bph locus o Pseudomonas sp. s ain LB400 was in es iga ed by using ecombinan s ains ha bo ing gene
casse es con aining bphABC o bphABCD. The enzymes o he uppe pa hway we e gene ally able o me abolize
mono- and dichlo ina ed biphenyls bu only pa ially ans o m mos ichlo ina ed congene s in es iga ed: 14
o 15 mono- and dichlo ina ed and 2 o 6 ichlo ina ed congene s we e con e ed in o benzoa es. All mono-
and a leas 8 o 12 dichlo ina ed congene s we e a acked by he bphA-encoded biphenyl dioxygenase i ually
exclusi ely a o ho and me a ca bons. This enzyme exhibi ed a high deg ee o selec i i y o he a oma ic ing
o be a acked, wi h he o de o ing p e e ence being non- > o ho->me a->pa a-subs i u ed o mono- and
dichlo ina ed congene s. The in luence o he chlo ine subs i u ion pa e n o he me abolized ing on benzoa e
o ma ion esembled i s in luence on he eac i i y o ini ial dioxygena ion, sugges ing ha he a e o benzoa e
o ma ion may equen ly be de e mined by he a e o ini ial a ack. The abso p ion spec a o phenylhexa-
dienoa es o med co ela ed wi h he p esence o absence o a chlo ine subs i uen a an o ho posi ion.
Con amina ion o he biosphe e wi h syn he ic o ganic com-
pounds ha a e pe sis en and oxic is o inc easing conce n (1,
3, 24). One such ype o chemical ha has been ex ensi ely
used in pas decades is polychlo ina ed biphenyl (PCB). The e
exis a o al o 209 dis inc PCB congene s which di e in
numbe and posi ion o he chlo ines. A ypical comme cial
PCB mix u e, such as A ochlo , Clophen, o Kanechlo , con-
ains be ween 60 and 80 di e en congene s (7).
A p omising app oach o PCB decon amina ion o soils and
sedimen s is bio emedia ion in ol ing he combined ac ion o
anae obic and ae obic mic oo ganisms. Anae obic conso ia
ha a e able o pa ially dehalogena e highly chlo ina ed con-
gene s ha e been desc ibed (1, 19), whe eas a numbe o ae -
obic bac e ia ha a e capable o oxida i ely a acking he ing
sys em o mode a ely chlo ina ed PCBs ha e been isola ed (2,
6, 12). Al hough he spec a o PCBs ha can be ans o med
by a numbe o ae obes ha e been cha ac e ized (4–6, 11, 17),
li le is known abou he inal me aboli es o med om indi-
idual congene s. Mo eo e , in mos cases obse ed ans o -
ma ions could no unequi ocally be asc ibed o speci ic en-
zymes, because he syn hesis o isoenzymes by he o iginal
isola es canno be excluded.
Gene cloning is a con enien app oach o deal wi h such
ques ions. Since genes encoding enzymes o any pa o a
pa hway can be in oduced in o a ecipien de oid o ca aly ic
ac i i ies owa ds he subs a es and incapable o u he ans-
o ma ion o he p oduc s, cha ac e iza ion o indi idual enzy-
ma ic ac i i ies and iden i ica ion o me aboli es p oduced by
hem a e conside ably acili a ed.
DNA segmen s in ol ed in PCB deg ada ion ha e been iso-
la ed om a numbe o bac e ia including Pseudomonas sp.
s ain LB400 (9, 17), a mic oo ganism which is pa icula ly
no ewo hy o i s abili y o oxidize a b oad spec um o con-
gene s (4–6, 17). To da e, 10 cis ons o he LB400 bph locus
ha e been cha ac e ized and shown o be in ol ed in he
b eakdown o biphenyls (10, 15, 16). Th ough his wo k, LB400
became he i s s ain o which comple e sequence in o ma-
ion a he DNA as well as a he enzyme le el was a ailable o
he biphenyl uppe pa hway, i.e., he ca abolism o biphenyls o
benzoa es and 2-hyd oxypen a-2,4-dienoa es which is ca alyzed
by ou enzymes, biphenyl-2,3 dioxygenase (BphA), 2,3-dihy-
d o-2,3-dihyd oxybiphenyl-2,3 dehyd ogenase (BphB), 2,3-di-
hyd oxybiphenyl-1,2 dioxygenase (BphC), and 2-hyd oxy-6-
oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoa e hyd olase (BphD) (Fig. 1).
We p e iously iden i ied me aboli es p oduced by he ac ion
o BphA and/o BphB and obse ed dioxygenase-media ed
dechlo ina ion o o ho-subs i u ed congene s (21). He e we
in es iga e which o a b oad ange o chlo ina ed biphenyls
(CBs) a e deg aded o 2-hyd oxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-di-
enoa es (HOPDAs o phenylhexadienoa es) o chlo obenzo-
a es (CBAs).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Chemicals. PCB congene s (99% pu i y) we e ob ained om Lancas e Syn-
hesis, Whi e Lund, Mo ecambe, England; P omochem, Wesel, Ge many; o
Res ek, Sulzbach, Ge many. CBAs (98% pu i y) we e pu chased om Fluka
AG, Buchs, Swi ze land, o Lancas e Syn hesis.
Bac e ial s ains, plasmids, and cul u e condi ions. The Esche ichia coli
s ains used in his s udy we e DH1 (14), DH5a(13), and BL21(DE3)[pLysS]
(23). The ecombinan plasmids pAIA50 and pAIA74 a e desc ibed in Fig. 2.
Bac e ia we e g own in Lu ia-Be ani medium (20) a 378C. Whe e app op ia e,
chlo amphenicol and/o ampicillin was used o selec ion a concen a ions o 20
and 50 mg/ml, espec i ely.
Recombinan DNA echniques. Plasmids we e cons uc ed by s anda d ecom-
binan DNA echniques simila o published p o ocols (20). T ans o ma ions o
* Co esponding au ho . Mailing add ess: Depa men o Mic obi-
ology, Gesellscha u¨ Bio echnologische Fo schung, Masche ode
Weg 1, D-38124 B aunschweig, Ge many. Phone: (49-531) 6181467.
Fax: (49-531) 6181411.
2654
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E. coli s ains we e ca ied ou ei he by he Hanahan me hod (14) o by
elec opo a ion (8).
Res ing cell assays. E. coli BL21(DE3)[pLysS] ha bo ing ei he pAIA50 o
pAIA74 was g own o an op ical densi y o 0.6 a 600 nm. A e u he incuba-
ion in he p esence o 0.4 mM isop opyl-b-D-galac opy anoside o 30 min a
308C, cells we e ha es ed, washed wi h 50 mM sodium phospha e bu e (pH
7.5), and esuspended in 1/10 olume o he same bu e . Cells we e incuba ed
wi h single PCB congene s (nominal concen a ion, 62 o 125 mM) o 20 o 24
ha 308C on a gy a o y shake .
Moni o ing o HOPDA and CBA o ma ion. Fo ma ion o HOPDAs was
moni o ed by isible spec al scanning o es ing cell assay mix u es wi h a
Beckman DU-70 spec opho ome e . Accumula ion o CBAs was ollowed by
high-pe o mance liquid ch oma og aphy (HPLC). Cell- ee supe na an s o
es ing cell incuba ions (20 ml) we e analyzed on a Beckman liquid ch oma o-
g aph equipped wi h a diode a ay de ec o wi h a SC125/Lich osphe 5-mm
column (Bischo , Leonbe g, Ge many) and an aqueous sol en sys em con ain-
ing 1 ml o 85% o ho-phospho ic acid and 640 ml o me hanol pe li e . CBAs
we e iden i ied and quan i a ed by compa ison wi h au hen ic s anda ds.
RESULTS
Cons uc ion o ecombinan s ains and desc ip ion o he
assay sys em. Recombinan exp ession ec o s ha bo ing bph
genes downs eam o a phage T7 la e p omo e we e desc ibed
p e iously (16). Plasmid pAIA50 con aining bphABC was gen-
e a ed om one o he ea lie cons uc s, pAIA5, as shown in
Fig. 2A. The cons uc ion o a bphABCD-con aining exp es-
sion ec o comp ised se e al s eps. Fi s ly, bphC and bphD
we e sepa a ely ampli ied by PCR o in oduce es ic ion si es
a hei ends and subsequen ly linked in such a way ha 34 bp
FIG. 1. Uppe pa hway o me abolism o biphenyls as encoded by hebph locus
o Pseudomonas sp. s ain LB400. Me aboli es: 1, biphenyl; 2, 2,3-dihyd o-2,3-dihy-
d oxybiphenyl; 3, 2,3-dihyd oxybiphenyl; 4, 2-hyd oxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-di-
enoic acid; 5a, benzoic acid; 5b, 2-hyd oxypen a-2,4-dienoic acid. Enzymes: BphA,
biphenyl-2,3 dioxygenase; BphB, 2,3-dihyd o-2,3-dihyd oxybiphenyl-2,3 dehyd oge-
nase; BphC, 2,3-dihyd oxybiphenyl-1,2 dioxygenase; BphD, 2-hyd oxy-6-oxo-6-phe-
nylhexa-2,4-dienoa e hyd olase.
FIG. 2. Cons uc ion o ecombinan plasmids. Di ec ions o sense ansc ip ion o genes a e indica ed by a ows. P-T7, phage T7 gene 10 p omo e ini ia ing
ansc ip ion in he di ec ion indica ed by he a owhead. o i, o igin o eplica ion. bla, gene encoding b-lac amase which media es ampicillin esis ance. (A)
Cons uc ion o pAIA50. A SacI-XhoI agmen was dele ed om pAIA5 o inac i a e bphK. (B) Cons uc ion o pAIA74. Fo de ails, see ex . (C) Sequence o he
a i icial bphCD junc ion. The s op codon o bphC and he s a codon o bphD a e unde lined. The Shine-Dalga no sequence o bphD is o e lined. The newly
in oduced SpeI si e is shown in bold ace wi h he single base-pai exchange indica ed by an as e isk.
VOL. 61, 1995 CONVERSION OF CHLOROBIPHENYLS INTO BENZOATES 2655
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o he bphD leade sequence (wi h a single exchange o c ea e
aSpeI si e) was a ached o he s op codon o bphC (Fig. 2C).
The bphD s a codon was he eby placed in almos he same
posi ion no mally occupied by he bphK s a codon (15). The
esul ing cons uc , pAIA3, is shown in Fig. 2B. An adap e
con aining se e al es ic ion si es was inse ed in o he
HindIII si e o pAIA5 (Fig. 2A) o yield pAIA71 (Fig. 2B).
pAIA3 and pAIA71 we e used o cons uc pAIA74 con aining
bphABCD as shown in Fig. 2B.
pAIA50 o pAIA74 was in oduced in o he E. coli hos
s ain BL21(DE3)[pLysS], which pe mi s induc ion o an-
sc ip ion o cloned genes om phage T7 la e p omo e s (23).
A e induc ion, es ing cells we e incuba ed wi h single PCB
congene s. Assay mix u es we e analyzed di ec ly, ei he by
isible spec oscopy o by HPLC and UV spec oscopy.
Con e sion o chlo ina ed biphenyls in o phenylhexadieno-
a es. Con e sion o all mono- and dichlo ina ed and six i-
chlo ina ed biphenyls in o hei HOPDAs by E. coli cells ex-
p essing bphABC was assessed spec opho ome ically. All o
he mono-, 11 o 12 di-, and 5 o 6 ichlo ina ed congene s
we e me abolized o HOPDAs. No HOPDAs we e de ec ed
o he double o ho-subs i u ed 2,6-diCB o o 2,5,39- iCB
(Table 1). While oxida ion o 2,5,39- iCB by biphenyl dioxy-
genase has been e i ied by gas ch oma og aphy-mass spec-
ome y (22), i is no clea a p esen whe he 2,6-diCB is
a acked by BphA, al hough oxida ion by s ain LB400 has
been desc ibed p e iously (18).
The 19 congene s ha we e ans o med o HOPDAs may
be di ided in o h ee classes, acco ding o he a e o con e -
sion. The kine ics o con e sion o one ep esen a i e o each
class is shown in Fig. 3. Class 3 congene s, which a e subs i-
u ed in bo h ings a he me a o pa a posi ion (3,39-, 3,49-, and
4,49-diCB), we e con e ed slowly. Rema kably, hei mo e
highly chlo ina ed analogs con aining an addi ional chlo ine a
an o ho posi ion (2,3,39-, 2,5,49-, and 2,4,49- iCB) we e con-
e ed a mode a e a es (class 2 congene s). The esidual
congene s (class 1) we e quickly and p obably quan i a i ely
con e ed in o HOPDAs. Al hough mola ex inc ion coe i-
cien s o he HOPDAs a e no known, comple eness o con-
e sion can be in e ed in all bu wo cases om quan i a i e
p oduc ion o he co esponding benzoa es (see Table 2, be-
low).
Abso p ion maxima o he HOPDAs o med ell in o wo
dis inc wa eleng h egions lying ei he be ween 430 and 440
nm (as o he unsubs i u ed HOPDA) o be ween 390 and 400
nm (Table 1). We ound a s ic co ela ion be ween hese
alues and he p esence (low l
max
) o absence (high l
max
)o a
chlo ine subs i uen a an o ho posi ion in he HOPDA, as
deduced om iden i ica ion o he co esponding CBAs (Table
2). We assume ha he o ho chlo ine p e en s a coplana
con o ma ion o he pelec on sys ems o he a oma ic ing
and he alipha ic side chain, he eby leading o a hypsoch omic
shi o l
max
.
While l
max
alues gene ally emained s able, signi ican
shi s owa ds sho e wa eleng hs we e obse ed du ing he
incuba ions o 3,39-diCB and 2,3,39- iCB, sugges ing a u he
eac ion o he ini ially o med compounds.
Con e sion o CBs in o chlo ina ed benzoa es. Con e sion
o CBs in o CBAs by bphABCD-ha bo ing E. coli cells was
ou inely analyzed a e o e nigh incuba ions (20 o 24 h).
Kine ics wi h some class 1 (Table 1) mono- and dichlo ina ed
congene s had indica ed ha o ma ion o benzoa es eached
comple ion wi hin his ime (da a no shown). CBAs we e
iden i ied by HPLC and UV spec um by compa ison wi h
au hen ic s anda ds. The esul s a e summa ized in Table 2.
Wi h he excep ion o 4,49-diCB, all o he mono- and di-
chlo ina ed congene s ha we e deg aded o HOPDAs we e
also ca abolized o benzoa es. Howe e , o he i e ichlo i-
na ed CBs con e ed in o HOPDAs, only wo we e me abo-
lized in o CBAs. Thus, 15 o 21 congene s es ed we e de-
g aded o CBAs. In 11 cases, CBAs we e ob ained in i ually
quan i a i e amoun s.
Iden i ica ion o he CBAs p oduced pe mi ed us o ace
back which o he biphenyl ings was a acked by he ini ial
dioxygenase. All mono- and dichlo ina ed CBs which we e
con e ed in o CBAs and we e subs i u ed in only one ing
we e ound o be oxidized i ually exclusi ely in he nonhalo-
FIG. 3. Time cou se o con e sion o CBs in o HOPDAs by es ing E. coli
cells ha bo ing bphABC. Abso p ions we e measu ed a he maxima o he
indi idual HOPDAs (Table 1). HOPDAs we e o med by deg ada ion o 4-CB
(ci cles), 3,39-diCB (squa es), and 2,3,39- iCB ( iangles).
TABLE 1. Fo ma ion o HOPDAs om a ious CBs by
E. coli cells con aining bphABC
CB
HOPDA
Abso p ion
a
(l
max
[nm]) Ra e o
o ma ion
b
2-
c
393 621
3-
c
436 621
4-
c
437 621
2,3-
d
392 621
2,4-
d
392 621
2,5-
d
392 621
2,6-
d
ND
3,4-
d
440 621
3,5-
c
439 621
2,29-
c
392 621
2,39-
d
435 621
2,49-
d
438 621
3,39-
d
430 65
e
3
3,49-
d
432 653
4,49-
d
430 610 3
2,3,5-
d
393 621
2,3,39-
d
400 65
2
2,4,49-
d
437 622
2,5,29-
d
392 621
2,5,39-
d
ND
2,5,49-
d
394 622
a
ND, no de ec ed.
b
See ex o de ails.
c
20-h incuba ion; 62 mM CB.
d
24-h incuba ion; 125 mM CB.
e
Measu ed a e 2 h; shi ed o 410 65 nm du ing he incuba ion.
Measu ed a e 1 h; shi ed o 370 65 nm du ing he incuba ion.
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gena ed ing. In hose cases o dichlo ina ed congene s pos-
sessing an o ho-monochlo ina ed ing, his ing was he sole
a ge o oxida ion. Also wi h 3,49-, 2,3,5-, o 2,5,29-subs i u ed
congene s, only one ype o CBA was ound (Table 2), indi-
ca ing a ack o he me a-, non-, o o ho-chlo ina ed ing.
Howe e , as u no e in o CBAs was incomple e in hese
cases, addi ional oxida ion o he o he ing canno be uled
ou .
Fo h ee ichlo ina ed congene s, no CBAs we e de ec ed,
bu HOPDAs we e o med. Fo hese CBs, he obse ed
co ela ion be ween l
max
and o ho chlo ine subs i u ion o
HOPDAs pe mi ed p edic ion as o which ing was oxidized.
The l
max
alues obse ed sugges ha 2,3,39- and 2,5,49- iCB
we e oxidized in he monochlo ina ed ings yielding o ho-
subs i u ed HOPDAs, whe eas 2,4,49- iCB was oxidized in he
dichlo ina ed ing yielding a pa a-chlo ina ed HOPDA. These
conclusions a e consis en wi h esul s ob ained o he oxida-
ion o 2,3,39- and 2,4,49- iCB by s ain LB400 i sel (4). Again,
howe e , addi ional oxida ion o he o he ing no leading o
HOPDA o ma ion canno be uled ou .
DISCUSSION
The esul s ob ained indica e he loca ion o he ini ial oxi-
da i e a ack and a co ela ion be ween chlo ine subs i u ion
pa e n and deg adabili y o CB congene s speci ied by he bph
gene clus e o Pseudomonas sp. s ain LB400. The bphA-
encoded biphenyl dioxygenase o s ain LB400 is able o oxi-
dize no only he o ho and me a ca bons bu also he me a and
pa a ca bons (18, 22). Gi en he enzyma ic epe oi e encoded
by he cloned bph genes, he ecombinan s ain can p oduce
benzoa e only i he ini ial oxida ion is di ec ed owa ds he
o ho and me a posi ions. Thus, he pe cen age o benzoa e
o ma ion gi es a lowe limi alue o o ho-me a oxida ion by
biphenyl dioxygenase. Ou esul s demons a e ha all mono-
and a leas 8 o 12 dichlo ina ed congene s a e a acked i -
ually exclusi ely in he o ho-me a mode. 2,3,5- and 2,5,29-
iCB a e a leas pa ly oxidized a hese posi ions. In e es -
ingly, a ack a o ho and me a posi ions is no necessa ily
di ec ed owa ds unchlo ina ed ca bons. Wi h 2,29- and 2,49-
diCB, i ually quan i a i e dioxygena ion a posi ions 2 and 3,
leading o elimina ion o hyd ochlo ic acid, was obse ed (21).
I CBAs a e ob ained om an asymme ic congene in quan-
i a i e yield, hei pe cen age o o ma ion e lec s he a io o
oxida ion o he wo ings by biphenyl dioxygenase. The i u-
ally quan i a i e o ma ion o only one CBA om asymme i-
cal congene s demons a es a high deg ee o p e e ence o he
enzyme o one o he wo a oma ic ings. The ypes o CBAs
p oduced indica e ha he eac i i y o he biphenyl ings o-
wa ds BphA-ca alyzed oxida ion dec eases acco ding o he
ollowing o de : non- .o ho-.me a-subs i u ed. Fu he -
mo e, he exclusi e o ma ion o 4-CBA om 3,49-diCB sug-
ges s ha a me a-chlo ina ed ing is mo e easily a acked han
apa a-chlo ina ed one. This is consis en wi h he obse a ion
o poo e HOPDA o ma ion om 4,49-diCB han om 3,39-
diCB.
Fo mono- and dichlo ina ed congene s, he pe cen ages o
benzoa e o ma ion obse ed co ela e wi h he chlo ine sub-
s i u ion pa e n o he me abolized ing. Congene s oxidized
in he non- o o ho-chlo ina ed ing yielded benzoa es in i -
ually quan i a i e amoun s. CBs a acked in he me a-chlo i-
na ed ing we e incomple ely con e ed in o CBAs. I he
pa a-chlo ina ed ing was dioxygena ed, no o ma ion o ben-
zoa e was obse ed. This sugges s ha he chlo ine subs i u ion
pa e n o he me abolized ing dec eases he e iciency o
deg ada ion h ough he en i e uppe pa hway in he o de
non- 'o ho-.me a-.pa a-subs i u ed. The ichlo ina ed
congene s assayed yielded simila esul s. Only ichlo ina ed
CBs con aining a non- o mono-o ho-chlo ina ed ing we e
con e ed in o benzoa es. The in luence o he chlo ine sub-
s i u ion pa e n o he a acked ing on benzoa e o ma ion
esembles i s in luence on eac i i y owa ds BphA-ca alyzed
oxida ion (compa e abo e). This sugges s ha he a e o CBA
o ma ion may equen ly be de e mined by he a e o ini ial
a ack.
Da a on CB me aboli es p oduced by he pa en al s ain,
Pseudomonas sp. s ain LB400, a e a he limi ed. Compa ison
o such da a (4) wi h he esul s ob ained wi h he bphABCD-
con aining E. coli s ain indica es ha hey a e simila . In bo h
cases, 3- o 4-CBA, bu no o only ace amoun s o 2-CBA,
was de ec ed as me aboli es o 2,39-o 2,49-diCB. The mono-
chlo ina ed ing o 2,3,39-, bu he dichlo ina ed ing o 2,4,49-
iCB, was ound o be (p edominan ly) a acked. Howe e ,
Beda d and Habe l (4) epo ed o ma ion o 2,3-diCBA (no
quan i a ion gi en) o 4-CBA (13%), espec i ely, om hese
wo congene s, whe eas we de ec ed only he HOPDAs. This
migh be due o an addi ional HOPDA hyd olase p oduced by
s ain LB400, bu o he explana ions such as a highe hyd o-
lase- o-subs a e a io in he expe imen s o hese au ho s can-
no be uled ou . Nei he ecombinan E. coli no s ain LB400
was able o con e 2,5,39- iCB in o an HOPDA. The simila -
i y be ween he da a ob ained wi h he cloned bph genes and
hose wi h he pa en al s ain is consis en wi h he iew ha
he isola ed bph genes speci y he ca abolic capabili y o he
s ain o he con e sion o chlo obiphenyls in o CBAs.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We hank Die ma Piepe o a c i ical eading o he manusc ip .
M.S. was suppo ed by a collabo a i e doc o al ellowship om he
Deu sche Akademische Aus auschdiens (DAAD, Bonn, Ge many)
and by a doc o al ellowship om he Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y
TABLE 2. Fo ma ion o CBAs om a ious CBs by
E. coli cells con aining bphABCD
CB (posi ion[s] o
chlo ine[s])
CBA
Posi ion(s) o
chlo ine(s) Yield (%)
a
2
b
2 95–100
3
c
3 95–100
4
b
4 95–100
2,3
c
2,3 95–100
2,4
c
2,4 95–100
2,5
c
2,5 95–100
2,6
c
ND
3,4
c
3,4 95–100
3,5
b
3,5 95–100
2,29
b
2 95–100
2,39
c
3 95–100
2,49
c
4 95–100
3,39
c
3 20–25
3,49
c
4 25–30
4,49
c
ND
2,3,5
c
2,3,5 40–45
2,3,39
c
ND
2,4,49
c
ND
2,5,29
c
2,5 35–40
2,5,39
c
ND
2,5,49
c
ND
a
ND, no de ec ed.
b
20-h incuba ion, 62 mM CB.
c
24-h incuba ion, 125 mM CB.
VOL. 61, 1995 CONVERSION OF CHLOROBIPHENYLS INTO BENZOATES 2657
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Tecnologı´a (CONICYT, San iago, Chile). This wo k was suppo ed in
pa by g an s om he Fonds de Chemischen Indus ie.
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