Degradation of morpholine and thiomorpholine by an environmental Mycobacterium involves a cytochrome P450. Direct evidence of intermediates by in situ 1H NMR
Abstract
A strain of Mycobacterium sp. RP1 was isolated from a contaminated activated sludge. It was capable of utilizing
morpholine, a waste of chemical industry, as sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy. The kinetic of biodegradation of
morpholine was followed directly on the incubation medium using in situ 1 H NMR. This technic allowed to identify two
Ž .intermediates of the degradative pathway: glycolate and 2- 2-aminoethoxy acetate. The inhibitory effects of metyrapone on
the degradative abilities of the strain RP1 indicated the involvement of a cytochrome P450. This observation was confirmed
by spectrophotometric analysis and 1 H NMR. Metyrapol, a known metabolite of metyrapone, was also found to be an
inhibitor. The same study of degradation of thiomorpholine showed the formation of sulfoxide, which confirmed the
presence of a cytochrome P450.