Biodegradation of phenylbenzoate and some of its derivatives by Scedosporium apiospermum

Scedosporium apiospermum, a recently isolated phenol-degrading hyphomycete, was shown to be able to productively utilise the diaryl ester phenylbenzoa te as its sole source of carbon and energy. The characterisation of degrada tion intermediates together with the detection of the corresponding catabol ic enzymes in crude extracts enabled us to propose a pathway for the degrad ation of this diaryl ester. According to our results, an inducible esterase initiated the biodegradation of phenylbenzoate by hydrolysing the ester bo nd to yield stoichiometric amounts of phenol and benzoate. While phenol was catabolised via catechol and hydroxyhydroquinone, the benzoate was further degraded via the protocatechuate branch of the ortho-pathway. In addition, the fungus utilised p-tolylbenzoate and 4-chlorophenylbenzoate by employin g similar catabolic sequences. (C) Elsevier, Paris.