Bacterial scission of ether bonds.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION 216 PROBLEM POLLUTANTS AND ETHER SCISSION 217 Agrochemicals 217 Polyethers 218 Polyethylene glycols 218 Polypropylene glycols and polytetramethylene glycols 219 Detergents 219 Builder compounds 219 Alcohol ethoxylates 219 Alkylphenol ethoxylates 220 Alkylethoxy sulfate surfactants 220 BIOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS OF ETHER CLEAVAGE 221 Oxygenation 221 Oxidation by Cytochromes P-450 221 Hydroxyl Shift Mechanisms 223 Hydrolysis 225 Anaerobic O Dealkylation of Alkyl-Aryl Ethers 225 Oxidation to Carboxylic Acids 226 Reduction 227 Carbon-Oxygen Bond Cleavage by Lyases 228 CONCLUDING REMARKS 228 State of Knowledge and Prospects 228 Pathways 228 Enzymes 229 Emerging Themes 229 Natural Substrates for Ether Cleavage Systems 229 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 230 REFERENCES 230