Microbial metabolism of aliphatic glycols. Bacterial metabolism of ethylene glycol.

A species of Flavobacterium isolated from pond water by its ability to grow aerobically on ethylene glycol as the role source of carbon initially oxidised the diol to glyoxylate via glycollate. The glyoxylate was metabolised by the glycerate pathway to acetyl-CoA. The acetyl-CoA was further metabolised by the tricarboxylic acid cycle plus malate synthase acting anaplerotically.