Effects of amino acids on the amidation of polyaromatic carboxylic acids by Bacillus cereus.

R Maruyama, A Kawata, S Ono, M Nishizawa, S Ito, M Inoue

Index: Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 65(8) , 1761-5, (2001)

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Abstract

The soil bacterium Bacillus cereus Tim-r01 efficiently transformed polyaromatic carboxylic acids (PACA) such as 4-biphenylcarboxylic acid (4-BPCA), 4-biphenylacetic acid, and 4-phenoxybenzoic acid into their corresponding amides. The amidation activity was expressed at 37 degrees C (pH 7-8) in the presence of grown cells in nutrients under an aerobic atmosphere. Other strains of B. cereus, IFO 3001 and IAM 1229, also gave the amide from 4-BPCA. In phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), the addition of normal amino acids was essential, while sulfur-containing amino acids such as methionine and cysteine drastically inhibited the amidation. Tracer experiments using N-15-isoleucine and N-15-alanine showed that the nitrogen atom of the amide came from an amino group of amino acids but not from ammonia or alkylamines.