Molecular analysis of anaerobic benzene degradation

利用气相色谱/质谱联用技术对固氮菌DN 11厌氧降解苯的中间产物进行了鉴定。数据支持苯最初甲基化为甲苯，然后转化为苯甲酸酯。苯诱导的基因表达分析表明，有一个新的甲基转移酶基因附近的厌氧甲苯降解基因簇。过表达的重组甲基转移酶将苯转化为与甲苯具有相同保留时间的代谢物。

Intermediates formed during anaerobic benzene degradation by Azoarcus sp. DN11 was identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The data support initial methylation of benzene to toluene, followed by transformation to benzoate. Benzene-induced gene expression analysis suggested that there was a new methyltransferase gene near an anaerobic toluene degradation gene cluster. The overexpressed recombinant methyltransferase converted benzene to a metabolite that has the same retention time with toluene.