Dibenzothiophene (DBT) is representative of a group of sulfur-containing heterocyclic organic compounds. No organism has been shown to degrade DBT completely. Mormile and Atlas (1988) examined the degradation of 3-hydroxy-2-formylbenzothiophene and reported release of CO2 from the ring structure of DBT under aerobic conditions. This study suggests that a succession of microbial organisms is neccesary to degrade 3-hydroxy-2-formylbenzothiophene further.
The exact names of the enzymes in the pathway are not cited in the literature, only the DOX operon which encodes them in its 9 open reading frames (ABDEFGHIJ). The pathway is very similar to the one of naphthalene and the corresponding names have been used for the enzymes.
This pathway can be contrasted to the Dibenzothiophene Desulfurization Pathway, which retains the full fuel value of the compound while eliminating the sulfur.
The following is a text-format dibenzothiophene degradation pathway map. An organism which can initiate the pathway is given, but other organisms may also carry out later steps. Follow the links for more information on compounds or reactions. This map is also available in graphic (13k) format.
Dibenzothiophene
Pseudomonas putida
|
|
| dibenzothiophene
| dioxygenase
|
|
v
cis-1,2-Dihydroxy-1,2-
dihydrodibenzothiophene
|
|
| dibenzothiophene dihydrodiol
| dehydrogenase
|
|
v
1,2-Dihydroxydibenzothiophene
|
|
| 1,2-dihydroxydibenzothiophene
| dioxygenase
|
|
v
cis-4-[2-(3-Hydroxy)-thionaphthenyl]-
2-oxo-3-butenoate
|
|
| cis-4-[2-(3-hydroxy)-thionaphthenyl]-
| 2-oxo-3-butenoate isomerase
|
|
v
trans-4-[2-(3-Hydroxy)-thionaphthenyl]-
2-oxo-3-butenoate
|
|
| trans-4-[2-(3-hydroxy)-thionaphthenyl]-
| 2-oxo-3-butenoate hydratase-aldolase
|
|
v
3-Hydroxy-2-formylbenzothiophene + Pyruvate
| |
| A |
v |
| |
v v
Carbon dioxide Intermediary
Metabolism
(KEGG)
Page Author(s): Gulin Oz and Dong Jun Oh
April 25, 2008 Contact Us
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