H. Semba et al., A PARA-SITE SPECIFIC HYDROXYLATION OF VARIOUS AROMATIC-COMPOUNDS BY MYCOBACTERIUM SP STRAIN 12523, Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 46(4), 1996, pp. 432-437
A screening of microorganisms with para-site-specific hydroxylation ac
tivity of aromatic compounds has been carried out by a three-step scre
ening procedure involving a newly established micro-plate assay method
. About 1300 strains isolated from about 5000 soils showed the activit
y, The hydroxylation of aromatic compounds by one of the isolates, des
ignated Mycobacterium sp. strain 12523, which had the highest activity
, was examined in detail. It produced p-phenols with high selectivity
without o- or m-site hydroxylation. The yield of hydroquinone from phe
nol by strain 12523 was 97 mol%.