[Oxidative dehalogenation of 2-chloro- and 2,4-dichlorobenzoates by Pseudomonas aeruginosa]

The strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa 142 isolated from the utilising PSBs bacterial association was capable of growth on 2-chloro- and 2,4-dichlorobenzoates as sole carbon sources, but it did not utilize 3-Cl, 4-Cl, 3,5-diCl- and 2,6-dichlorobenzoates. P. aeruginosa 142 dehalogenated 2-Cl-, 2,4-diCl- and 2,5-dichlorobenzoates in aerobic conditions. The release of chloride was not observed in microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions. The activities of catechol-1,2-dioxygenase and 4-chlorocatechol-1,2-dioxygenase were found in cell extracts after growth of this strain on 2,4-dichlorobenzoate. The presented results suggested that oxidative release of chloride in ortho-position is the first step of metabolism of 2-Cl-, 2,4-diCl- and 2,5-dichlorobenzoates. The further splitting of corresponding catechols is carried out by ortho-pathway.