Studies on The Metabolism of Model Compounds Related to Soil Humic Acid I. The Decomposition of N-(O-Carboxyphenyl)Glycine

Abstract

An Achromobacter sp. which has been isolated from Urrbrae loam adaptively oxidizes N -(o-carboxyphenyl)glycine, selected as a model compound since it con· tains an aromatic ring bonded directly to the nitrogen atom of an a-amino acid, as proposed for humic acid polymers. Simultaneous adaptation studies indicate that this compound is metabolized via anthranilate, 5-hydl'Oxyanthranilate, and 2,5- dihydroxybenzoate. The rate of oxidation of N -(o-carhoxyphenyl)glycine is inhibited by N.methyianthranilate and salicylate, the latter by inhibiting the conversion of anthranilate to 5-hydroxyanthranilate.