Summary
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1.
APseudomonas oxidizingn-alkanes adaptively was used in experiments on hexane and heptane degradation.
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2.
The R.Q. of heptane respiration by resting heptane-adapted cells was found to be 0.62. No appreciable accumulation of products except CO2 and H2O seems to occur.
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3.
Alkane oxidation proceeds by oxidation of one terminal methyl group, leading to the corresponding alcohols, aldehydes and fatty acids as indicated by multiple adaption studies.
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4.
Oxidation of intermediate fatty acids by a β-oxidative mechanism is clearly indicated.
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5.
A constitutive propionyl-group oxidizing system was found to be present, though underdeveloped in hexane-grown cells.
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6.
No indications have been encountered so far to suggest the operation of a second (C1) breakdown principle in the metabolism of alkanes to CO2 and H2O.
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Thijsse, G.J.E., van der Linden, A.C. n-Alkane oxidation by aPseudomonas . Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 24, 298–308 (1958). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02548456
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02548456