Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC 28282 metabolized DL-phenylalanine by two pathways involving 2, 5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 2, 6-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid as key intermediates. DL-phenylalanine was successively degraded to phenylpyruvic acid, phenylacetic acid and
o-hydroxy-Phenylacetic acid by this fungus. 2, 5-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 2, 6-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were formed from phenylalanine via
o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid.
m-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid was formed from phenylacetic acid and converted to 2, 5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. It was found that 2, 5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid was also formed from L-tyrosine and
p-hydroxyphenyl-pyruvic acid, although DL-phenylalanine was not converted to tyrosine. 3, 4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid was formed from tyramine and
p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid.
The conversion activity of phenylalanine to 2, 5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 2, 6-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid via
o-hydroxy-phenylacetic acid was widely present in strains of
Aspergillus tested.
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