Open AccessMicrobial desulfurization of dibenzothiophene: A sulfur‐specific pathway
Author(s) -
Gallagher John R,
Olson Edwin S,
Stanley Daniel C
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1993.tb05999.x
Subject(s) - dibenzothiophene , flue gas desulfurization , sulfur , rhodococcus rhodochrous , chemistry , organic chemistry , rhodococcus , sulfone , sulfoxide , sulfonate , enzyme , sodium
Rhodococcus rhodochrous strain IGTS8 metabolizes dibenzothiophene, a model compound for organic sulfur in fossil fuels, in a sulfur‐specific manner. Two routes of desulfurization have been identified. Under growth conditions, the intermediates are dibenzothiophene sulfoxide, dibenzothiophene sulfone, 2′‐hydroxybiphenyl‐2‐sulfonate, and 2,2′‐dihydroxybiphenyl. Stationary phase cells produce 2‐hydroxybiphenyl as the desulfurized product and use the 2′‐hydroxybiphenyl‐2‐sulfonate, rather than the sulfonate, as key intermediate.