COMETABOLIC DEGRADATION OF O-CRESOL AND 2,6-DIMETHYLPHENOL BY PENICILLIUM-FREQUENTANS BI-7 2/

o-Cresol induced glucose-grown resting mycelia of Penicillium frequent ans Bi 7/2 (ATCC-number: 96048) immediately oxidized o-cresol and othe r phenols. After precultivation on glucose and phenol degradation star ted after a lag-phase of 24 hours. Metabolites of o-cresol metabolism were methylhydroquinone, methyl-p-benzoquinone, 2-methyl 5-hydroxyhydr oquinone and 2-methyl-5-hydroxy-p-benzoquinone. The initial reaction i s probably catalyzed by a NADPH dependent hydroxylase which is specifi c for o-cresol. The metabolism of 2,6-dimethylphenol (2,6-xylenol) occ urred via 2,6-dimethylhydroquinone, 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone, 2,6-d imethyl-3-hydroxyhydroquinone, 2,6-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-p-benzoquinone a nd 3-methyl-2-hydroxybenzoic acid.