A Synthetic Pathway for the Production of Benzylsuccinate in .

()-Benzylsuccinate is generated in anaerobic toluene degradation by the radical addition of toluene to fumarate and further degraded to benzoyl-CoA by a β-oxidation pathway. Using metabolic modules for benzoate transport and activation to benzoyl-CoA and the enzymes of benzylsuccinate β-oxidation, we established an artificial pathway for benzylsuccinate production in , which is based on its degradation pathway running in reverse. Benzoate is supplied to the medium but needs to be converted to benzoyl-CoA by an uptake transporter and a benzoate-CoA ligase or CoA-transferase.

Finis tolueni: a new type of thiolase with an integrated Zn-finger subunit catalyzes the final step of anaerobic toluene metabolism.

Anaerobic toluene degradation involves β-oxidation of the first intermediate (R)-2-benzylsuccinate to succinyl-CoA and benzoyl-CoA. Here, we characterize the last enzyme of this pathway, (S)-2-benzoylsuccinyl-CoA thiolase (BbsAB). Although benzoylsuccinyl-CoA is not available for enzyme assays, the recombinantly produced enzymes from two different species showed the reverse activity, benzoylsuccinyl-CoA formation from benzoyl-CoA and succinyl-CoA.

Energy Conservation Associated with Ethanol Formation from H2 and CO2 in Clostridium autoethanogenum Involving Electron Bifurcation.

Unlabelled: Most acetogens can reduce CO2 with H2 to acetic acid via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, in which the ATP required for formate activation is regenerated in the acetate kinase reaction. However, a few acetogens, such as Clostridium autoethanogenum, Clostridium ljungdahlii, and Clostridium ragsdalei, also form large amounts of ethanol from CO2 and H2. How these anaerobes with a growth pH optimum near 5 conserve energy has remained elusive.

Evidence for a hexaheteromeric methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in Moorella thermoacetica.

Moorella thermoacetica can grow with H₂ and CO₂, forming acetic acid from 2 CO₂ via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. All enzymes involved in this pathway have been characterized to date, except for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MetF). We report here that the M.