Metabolism of naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, salicylate, and benzoate by Pseudomonas PG: regulation of tangential pathways.

Naphthalene is metabolized by Pseudomonas PG through 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene and salicylate to catechol, which is then degraded by the meta pathway. 2-Methylnaphthalene, but not 1-methylnaphthalene, also serves as a growth substrate and is metabolized by the same route, through 4-methylcatechol. The same nonspecific meta pathway enzymes appear to be induced by growth on either naphthalene or 2-methylnaphthalene. The level to which 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydrolase is induced is low and probably of no metabolic significance. Growth on salicylate or catechol, both intermediates of naphthalene degradation, or benzoate results in induction of the ortho pathway, the alternative route for catechol dissimilation. No induction of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene oxygenase was found in salicylate-grown cells. Anaerobic growth on a succinate-nitrate medium in the presence of various inducers indicates that cis, cis-muconate, or one of its metabolites is the inducer of the ortho pathway enzymes. The inducer or inducers of the early enzymes of naphthalene degradation and of the meta pathway enzymes must be an early intermediate of the naphthalene pathway above salicylate.