Catabolism of phenylalkanes by Rhodococcus opacus PD630.

ALVAREZ H.M.; CESARI A.C.; SILVA R.A.

Simposio; Proceeding Fourth Latin American Biodegradation and Biodeterioration Symposium. 4 LABS.; 2001

Phenyldecane and phenylacetate supported growth and lipids accumulation of Rhodococcus opacus strain PD630. The results of this study suggested that these compounds were degraded by two different inducible enzymatic systems in strain PD630. Aromatic carboxylic acids were formed by oxidation of the alkyl substituents of phenyldecane, which was then beta-oxidezed probably to phenylacetyl-CoA level previous aromatic ring cleavage. In addition, alpha-oxidation of the alkyl side chain occurred in the cells to some extent. The occurrence of an alkyl side chain longer than C3 may hinder the oxidative attack at the aromatic ring by strain PD630.