Formation of Benzoic Acid and p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid in the Blue Green Alga Anacystis nidulans: A Thylakoid-Bound Enzyme Complex Analogous to the Chloroplast System

Abstract

The photosynthetic procaryote Anacystis nidulans converts L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine into benzoic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, respectively. Results obtained with thylakoid fractions support the hypothesis that the reaction sequence is catalyzed by thylakoid-bound enzyme complexes consisting of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and benzoate synthase or tyrosine ammonia-lyase and p-hydroxybenzoate synthase, respectively. Both complexes do not accept phenylacetic acids as substrates, and cinnamic acids only at a small extent. These properties suggest a striking similarity to a benzoic acid-synthesizing enzyme system from higher plants which is situated at the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. The respective complexes of Dunaliella marina and Porphyridium sp. were included in this comparison. © 1976, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.