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Hydroxylation and Dechlorination of Tetrachlorohydroquinone by Rhodococcus sp. Strain CP-2 Cell Extracts
M M Häggblom1, D Janke, M S Salkinoja-Salonen
1Department of General Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Mannerheimintie 172, SF-00300 Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract:
A cell extract of a polychlorophenol-degrading bacterium, Rhodococcus sp. strain CP-2, isolated from chlorophenol-contaminated soil, was shown to dechlorinate tetrachlorohydroquinone, the first intermediate in pentachlorophenol and 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol degradation. Degradation of tetrachlorohydroquinone was catalyzed by a soluble enzyme(s). The reaction sequence for complete dechlorination involved hydroxylation and three reductive dechlorinations, producing 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene. All chlorines were thus removed from the polychlorinated compound before ring cleavage.
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