Protocatechuate is not metabolized via catechol in Enterobacter aerogenes.

Protocatechuate is generally metabolized in bacteria by direct oxygenative cleavage to produce beta-carboxymuconate. An exception to this pattern has been suggested by reports that protocatechuate might be metabolized by nonoxidative decarboxylation to catechol in Enterobacter aerogenes. In the present investigation, analysis of mutant strains indicated that this proposed pathway did not make a significant contribution to protocatechuate metabolism in E. aerogenes because mutations blocking catechol metabolism did not impair protocatechuate utilization. In addition, all the enzymes required for the oxygenative cleavage of protocatechuate and its further metabolism were induced in E. aerogenes during protocatechuate metabolism, and mutations inactivating this oxygenative pathway prevented protocatechuate degradation. The strains of E. aerogenes examined exhibited broad specificities of inductive control over genes associated with protocatechuate and catechol metabolism; it appears that a number of metabolites may trigger the expression of these genes.