SUMMARY: The metabolism of methoxylated aromatic compounds by the soil fungi Haplographium sp., Hormodendrum sp. and Penicillium sp. has been investigated. A study of rates of decomposition of mono-methoxybenzoic acids by Hormodendrum sp. revealed that they are most rapidly attacked in the order para (p), meta (m) and ortho (o). In respiration studies with all three fungi the p form was again found to be metabolized most rapidly. In the initial stage of attack the methoxyl group is replaced by a hydroxyl group. Penicillium sp. also formed p-methoxyphenol from p-methoxybenzoic acid. A study of the rates of metabolism of monohydroxybenzoic acids revealed that they are attacked in the same order as the monomethoxybenzoic acids, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid formed from p-methoxybenzoic acid is further metabolized to protocatechuic acid by Hormodendrum sp. and Penicillium sp. When veratric acid (3:4-dimethoxybenzoie acid) is incubated with Hormodendrum sp. and Penicillium sp. the methoxyl group in the p position is replaced by a hydroxyl group to give vanillic acid. All three fungi formed two unidentified phenolic compounds from 2:4-dimethoxybenzoic acid. The possible significance of the results in the decomposition of lignin in soil is discussed.
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