The DNA region encoding biphenyl dioxygenase, the first enzyme in the biphenyl-polychlorinated biphenyl degradation pathway of Pseudomonas species strain LB400, was sequenced. Six open reading frames were identified, four of which are homologous to the components of toluene dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida F1 and have been named bphA, bphE, bphF, and bphG. From this comparison, biphenyl diox...

Comamonas testosteroni JH5 used 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) as its sole source of energy and carbon up to a concentration of 1.8 mM, accompanied by the stoichiometric release of chloride. The degradation of 4-CP mixed with the isomeric 2-CP by resting cells led to the accumulation of 3-chlorocatechol (3-CC), which inactivated the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase. As a result, further 4-CP breakdown was inhib...

Bacterial Rieske non-heme iron oxygenases catalyze the initial hydroxylation of aromatic hydrocarbon substrates. The structures of all three components of one such system, the toluene 2,3-dioxygenase system, have now been determined. This system consists of a reductase, a ferredoxin and a terminal dioxygenase. The dioxygenase, which was cocrystallized with toluene, is a heterohexamer containing...

The bopXYZ genes from the gram-positive bacterium Rhodococcus sp. strain 19070 encode a broad-substrate-specific benzoate dioxygenase. Expression of the BopXY terminal oxygenase enabled Escherichia coli to convert benzoate or anthranilate (2-aminobenzoate) to a nonaromatic cis-diol or catechol, respectively. This expression system also rapidly transformed m-toluate (3-methylbenzoate) to an unid...

The chlorobenzene degradation pathway of Pseudomonas sp. strain P51 is an evolutionary novelty. The first enzymes of the pathway, the chlorobenzene dioxygenase and the cis-chlorobenzene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase, are encoded on a plasmid-located transposon Tn5280. Chlorobenzene dioxygenase is a four-protein complex, formed by the gene products of tcbAa for the large subunit of the terminal oxyg...

The protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase (LigAB) from Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6 is the defining member of the Type II extradiol dioxygenase superfamily (a.k.a. PCA Dioxygenase Superfamily or PCADSF) and plays a key aromatic ring-opening role in the metabolism of several lignin derived aromatic compounds. In our search for alternate substrates and inhibitors of LigAB, we discovered allosteric rate...

Anthranilate (2-aminobenzoate) is an important intermediate in tryptophan metabolism. In order to investigate the degradation of tryptophan through anthranilate by Burkholderia cepacia, several plasposon mutations were constructed of strain DBO1 and one mutant with the plasposon insertion in the anthranilate dioxygenase (AntDO) genes was chosen for further study. The gene sequence obtained from...

The nucleotide sequences of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus benABC genes encoding a multicomponent oxygenase for the conversion of benzoate to a nonaromatic cis-diol were determined. The enzyme, benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase, is composed of a hydroxylase component, encoded by benAB, and an electron transfer component, encoded by benC. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of BenABC with rel...

Stress prolongs the inflammatory response compromising the dermal reconstruction and wound closure. Acute stress-induced inflammation increases indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase-stimulated tryptophan catabolism. To investigate the role of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase expression and tryptophan administration in adverse effects of stress on cutaneous wound healing, mice were submitted to chronic restr...