SUBSTRATE INDUCTION AND METABOLITE ACCUMULATION DURING ANAEROBIC TOLUENE UTILIZATION BY THE DENITRIFYING STRAIN-T1

The denitrifying strain T1 utilizes toluene anaerobically. We now repo rt that anaerobic toluene degradation is inducible in strain T1. Fluor acetate treatment of cell suspensions inhibited both the rate of tolue ne metabolism and the formation of the toluene dead-end products benzy lsuccinate and benzylfumarate, which is consistent with the pathway pr oposed by Evans et al. (Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58:496-501, 1992). I n addition, when either nitrate was limiting or fluoroacetate was adde d, benzoate was detected during toluene metabolism.