The Bacterial Oxidation of Aromatic Compounds

SUMMARY: Adaptive patterns for a vibrio indicate that the oxidation of phenylalanine to homogentisic acid by this organism may proceed by two different pathways, one through phenylpyruvic and phenylacetic acids and the other through tyrosine and p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid. That the former pathway is used is confirmed by the isolation from metabolism fluids of the phenylhydrazone of phenylpyruvic acid. The vibrio does not appear to oxidize the side chains of phenylpropionic and phenylacetic acids before ring fission. The influence of cell suspension density on rates of oxidation of various highly polar compounds which may penetrate slowly into the cells has been studied.