Mycobacterium aurum

This can be degraded by several mycobacteria including Mycobacterium aurum strain MOl (Combourieu et al. 1998), Mycobacterium strain RPl (Poupin et al. 1998), and Mycobacterium chelonae (Swain et al. 1991). The reaction is initiated by a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase that is also active against pyrrolidine and piperidine (Poupin et al. 1998). 

Combourieu B, P Besse, M Sancelme, H Veschambre, AM Delort, P Poupin, N Truffaut (1998) Morpholine degradation pathway of Mycobacterium aurum MOl direct evidence of intermadiates by in situ H nuclear magnetic resonance. Appl Environ Microbiol 64 153-158. 

Hartmans S, JAM de Bont (1992) Aerobic vinyl chloride metabolism in Mycobacterium aurum LI. Appl Environ Microbiol 58 1220-1226. 

This has received widespread application, and a single example has been chosen as representative. The pathway for the degradation of morpholine by Mycobacterium aurum MOl sadMycobacterium strain RPl was examined using whole cells, and this confirmed its identity to the one that had been proposed earlier for M. chelonae (Combourieu et al. 1998 Poupin et al. 1998). 

Detection of glycolate and 2-(2-aminoethoxy)acetate as intermediates in the degradation of morpholine by Mycobacterium aurum strain MOl (Combourieu et al. 1998). 

The aerobic degradation of chloroethene (vinyl chloride) by Mycobacterium aurum strain LI proceeded by initial formation of an epoxide mediated by an alkene monooxygenase (Hartmans and de Bout 1992). This reaction has also been demonstrated to occur with Methylosinus trichosporium, even though subsequent reactions were purely chemical (Castro et al. 1992b). 

This is indeed what was found by Hartmans and de Bont (1992) for VC degraded using a monooxygenase from a Mycobacterium aurum, a bacterium found to be capable of growth on VC as its carbon and energy sources. 

Very recently, Meier [26] described the application of a vinyl chloridedegrading Mycobacterium aurum strain. Although Meier gave no further details, describing his isolate, it is intriguing that all isolates, both from the Wageningen area in the Netherlands and from Berlin in Germany, have been identified as Mycobacterium aurum strains. 

Interestingly, the initial step in vinyl chloride metabolism in Mycobacterium aurum LI is the same as in mammalian liver. Unfortunately, as is the case in mammals, Uie further metabolism of the extremely toxic and reactive chlorooxirane is still obscure. It will probably, also prove to be very difiBcult to elucidate this step in strain LI, in view of the very low stability of the enzymatic activity responmble for the further transformation of chlorooxirane. 

Mycobacterium aurum crti genomic Z21955 AJ133724... 

Lycopene cyclase (two peptide-type) crtYc + Yd Eubacteria Mycobacterium aurum [41]... 

Viveiros M, Krubasik P, Sandmann G, Houssaini-Iraqui M (2000) Stmctural and functional analysis of the gene cluster encoding carotenoid biosynthesis in Mycobacterium aurum FEMS Microbiol Lett 187 95-101... 

Usnic acid is also reported as an inhibitor of bacterial biofilm formation on polymeric material and it is therefore used in coatings on medical devices [72]. It is also active against resistant pathogenic strains of S. aureus, Mycobacterium aurum [73], and Listeria monocytogenes [74]. 

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