%0 Journal Article %A Ewbank, E. %A Maraite, H. %T Conversion of methionine to phytotoxic 3-methylthiopropionic acid by Xanthomonas campestris pv. manihotis %D 1990 %J Microbiology, %V 136 %N 7 %P 1185-1189 %@ 1465-2080 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-136-7-1185 %I Microbiology Society, %X Incubation of the plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. manihotis with either l-[3,4-14C]methionine or [3,4-14C]KMBA (2-keto-4-methylthiobutyric acid) led to the production of [14C]MTPA (3-methylthiopropionic acid) and [14C]MTAA (3-methylthioacrylic acid). When an excess of non-radioactive KMBA was present in the medium, formation of [14C]KMBA from l-[3,4-14C]methionine was observed. Conversely, [14C]methionine accumulated in a trapping pool of non-radioactive methionine as a result of biotransformation of [3,4-14C]KMBA. Aminooxyacetic acid, a transaminase inhibitor, suppressed totally the formation of [14C]MTPA from l-[3,4-14C]methionine but not from [3,4-14C]KMBA. Metabolism of l-[1-14C]methionine liberated 14CO2 but did not produce [14C]MTPA. These results demonstrate that methionine is catabolized by X. campestris pv. manihotis into MTPA via transamination and subsequent decarboxylation of the intermediate a-keto acid KMBA. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-136-7-1185