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Inactivation of alkene oxidation by epoxides in alkene-and alkane-grown bacteria

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Summary

The oxidation of propene by resting-cells of ethene-grown Mycobacterium E3 was inactivated by 1,2-epoxypropane. Inactivation increased with increasing epoxide concentrations with 50% inactivation at approximately 30 mM epoxide. Other lower epoxides as epoxyethane and 1,2-epoxybutane also inactivated oxidation of propene as well as of other alkenes. Propene oxidation by resting-cells of ethane-grown Mycobacterium E20 and resting-cells of methane-grown Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b was inactivated for 50% at much lower 1,2-epoxypropane concentrations of approximately 1 and 3 mM respectively. It was demonstrated that in vivo the predominant effect of 1,2-epoxypropane was on the epoxidizing enzyme, i.e. alkene mono-oxygenase (strain E3), alkane mono-oxygenase (strain E20) and methane mono-oxygenase (methylotroph) and that the effect of the epoxide on the alkene mono-oxygenase was irreversible.

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Habets-Crützen, A.Q.H., de Bont, J.A.M. Inactivation of alkene oxidation by epoxides in alkene-and alkane-grown bacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 22, 428–433 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252785

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252785

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