BIOTRANSFORMATION OF 1-NAPHTHALENESULFONIC ACID BY THE GREEN-ALGA SCENEDESMUS-OBLIQUUS

Under sulfate limitation, axenic batch cultures of the green alga Scen edesmus obliquus metabolized 1-naphthalenesulfonic acid and partially used the sulfonate as a source of sulfur. The main metabolite, 1-hydro xy-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid, which was not metabolized further in th e algal culture, was formed by hydroxylation of the substrate in posit ion 1 and by migration of the sulfonic acid group to position 2 of the naphthalene ring (NIH shift). A smaller amount of 1-naphthalenesulfon ic acid was desulfonated. The resulting 1-naphthol was mostly transfor med into 1-naphthyl beta-D-glucopyranoside.