Intradiol pathway of para-cresol conversion by Rhodococcus opacus 1CP
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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Retropinacol/Cross-pinacol Coupling Reactions - A Catalytic Access to 1,2-Unsymmetrical Diols
Published on: April 4, 2014
Marina P Kolomytseva1, Boris P Baskunov, Ludmila Alexeevna Golovleva
1G. K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, RAS, Pushchino, Russia.
Abstract:
The growth of Rhodococcus opacus 1CP in medium with different concentrations of p-cresol as the sole source of carbon and energy was studied. It was shown that the optimal concentration of p-cresol was 600 mg/L. The ability of this strain to transform practically all amounts of p-cresol to 4-methylcatechol followed by its utilization through ortho-pathway was shown. New enzymes (4-methylcatechol 1,2-dioxygenase, catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, and methylmuconate cycloisomerase) were purified to homogeneity and characterized. Based on the data obtained on p-cresol degradation, formation of intermediates, and the enzymes participating in this pathway, we suggest an ortho-pathway of p-cresol degradation by R. opacus 1CP through 4-methylcatechol and 3-methyl-cis, cis-muconate.
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