Anaerobic metabolism of phthalate and other aromatic compounds by a denitrifying bacterium

The anaerobic metabolism of phthalate and other aromatic compounds by the denitrifying bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain P136 was studied. Benzoate, cyclohex-1-ene-carboxylate, 2-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylate, and pimelate were detected as predominant metabolic intermediates during the metabolism of three isomers of phthalate, m-hydroxybenzoate, p-hydroxybenzoate, and cyclohex-3-ene-carboxylate. Inducible acyl-coenzyme A synthetase activities for phthalates, benzoate, cyclohex-1-ene-carboxylate, and cyclohex-3-ene-carboxylate were detected in the cells grown on aromatic compounds. Simultaneous adaptation to these aromatic compounds also occurred. A similar phenomenon was observed in the aerobic metabolism of aromatic compounds by this strain. A new pathway for the anaerobic metabolism of phthalate and a series of other aromatic compounds by this strain was proposed. Some properties of the regulation of this pathway were also discussed.