Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/1462-2920.16021
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Genes and enzymes involved in the biodegradation of the quaternary carbon compound pivalate in the denitrifying Thauera humireducens strain PIV-1
Author Jacoby, C.; Ebenau-Jehle, C.; Saum, K.; Jehmlich, N. ORCID logo ; von Bergen, M.; Brüls, T.; Boll, M.
Source Titel Environmental Microbiology
Year 2022
Department MOLSYB
Volume 24
Issue 7
Page From 3181
Page To 3194
Language englisch
Topic T9 Healthy Planet
Supplements https://sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1111%2F1462-2920.16021&file=emi16021-sup-0001-SupInfo.docx
Abstract Quaternary carbon containing compounds exist in natural and fossil oil derived products and are used in chemical and pharmaceutical applications up to industrial scale. Due to the inaccessibility of the quaternary carbon atom for a direct oxidative or reductive attack, they are considered as persistent in the environment. Here, we investigated the unknown degradation of the quaternary carbon-containing model compound pivalate (2,2-dimethyl-propionate) in the denitrifying bacterium Thauera humireducens strain PIV-1 (formerly T. pivalivorans). We provide multiple evidence for a pathway comprising the activation to pivalyl-CoA and the carbon skeleton rearrangement to isovaleryl-CoA. Subsequent reactions proceed similar to the catabolic leucine degradation pathway such as the carboxylation to 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA and the cleavage of 3-methyl-3-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA to acetyl-CoA and acetoacetate. The completed genome of Thauera humireducens strain PIV-1 together with proteomic data was used to identify pivalate-upregulated gene clusters including genes putatively encoding pivalate CoA ligase and adenosylcobalamin-dependent pivalyl-CoA mutase. A pivalate-induced gene encoding a putative carboxylic acid CoA ligase was heterologously expressed, and its highly enriched product exhibited pivalate CoA ligase activity. The results provide first experimental insights into the biodegradation pathway of a quaternary carbon-containing model compound that serves as a blueprint for the degradation of related quaternary carbon-containing compounds.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=26041
Jacoby, C., Ebenau-Jehle, C., Saum, K., Jehmlich, N., von Bergen, M., Brüls, T., Boll, M. (2022):
Genes and enzymes involved in the biodegradation of the quaternary carbon compound pivalate in the denitrifying Thauera humireducens strain PIV-1
Environ. Microbiol. 24 (7), 3181 - 3194 10.1111/1462-2920.16021