Fungal metabolism and detoxification of the nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 1-nitropyrene

Molecular Basis and Evolutionary Origin of 1-Nitronaphthalene Catabolism in Sphingobium sp. Strain JS3065

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) enter the environment from natural sources and anthropogenic activities. To date, microorganisms able to mineralize nitro-PAHs have not been reported. Here, Sphingobium sp. strain JS3065 was isolated by selective enrichment for its ability to grow on 1-nitronaphthalene as the sole carbon, nitrogen, and energy source. Analysis of the complete genome of strain JS3065 indicated that the gene cluster encoding 1-nitronaphthalene catabolism (nin) is located on a plasmid. Based on the genetic and biochemical evidence, the nin genes share an origin with the nag-like genes encoding naphthalene degradation in Ralstonia sp. strain U2. The initial step in degradation of 1-nitronaphthalene is catalyzed by a three-component dioxygenase, NinAaAbAcAd, resulting in formation of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene which is also an early intermediate in the naphthalene degradation pathway. Introduction of the ninAaAbAcAd genes into strain U2 enabled its growth on 1-nitronaphthalene. Phylogenic analysis of NinAc suggested that an ancestral 1-nitronaphthalene dioxygenase was an early step in the evolution of nitroarene dioxygenases. Based on bioinformatic analysis and enzyme assays, the subsequent assimilation of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene seems to follow the well-established pathway for naphthalene degradation by Ralstonia sp. strain U2. This is the first report of catabolic pathway for 1-nitronaphthalene and is another example of how expanding the substrate range of Rieske type dioxygenase enables bacteria to grow on recalcitrant nitroaromatic compounds. IMPORTANCE Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) have been widely detected in the environment and they are more toxic than their corresponding parent PAHs. Although biodegradation of many PAHs has been extensively described at genetic and biochemical levels, little is known about the microbial degradation of nitro-PAHs. This work reports the isolation of a Sphingobium strain growing on 1-nitronaphthalene and the genetic basis for the catabolic pathway. The pathway evolved from an ancestral naphthalene catabolic pathway by a remarkably small modification in the specificity of the initial dioxygenase. Data presented here not only shed light on the biochemical processes involved in the microbial degradation of globally important nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, but also provide an evolutionary paradigm for how bacteria evolve a novel catabolic pathway with minimal alteration of preexisting pathways for natural organic compounds.

Simultaneous determination of eighteen nitro-polyaromatic hydrocarbons in PM2.5 by atmospheric pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A new atmospheric pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (APGC-MS/MS) was developed to simultaneously separate, identify and quantify 18 nitro-polyaromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) in air fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). Compared with traditional negative chemical ionization (NCI) or electron impact ionization (EI)-MS/MS methods, APGC-MS/MS equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source provided better sensitivity and selectivity for NPAHs analysis in PM_2.5.18 NPAHs were completely separated, and satisfactory linear response (R² > 0.99), low instrumental detection limits (0.20-2.18 pg mL^-1) and method detection limits (0.001-0.015 pg m^-3) were achieved. Due to the reliable performance of the instrument, only minimal sample pretreatment is needed. It ensured the satisfactory method recovery (70%-120%) and qualified repeatability (RSD: 1.1%-17.2%), which met the requirement of trace analysis of NAPHs in the real environmental PM_2.5. Using the developed method, the actual PM_2.5 samples collected from Taiyuan, China in both summer and winter were analyzed, and 17 NPAHs but 2-nitrofluorene were detected and quantified. According to the obtained NAPH concentration results, the generation mechanism of NPAHs in PM_2.5 and the effects on NPAHs formation caused by some ambient air pollutants were preliminarily discussed: secondary photochemical reaction might be the dominant source of NPAHs in PM_2.5 collected from Taiyuan in both summer and winter; ambient air pollutants (NO₂, SO₂, CO) had more contribution on the NPAHs secondary formation of PM_2.5 in winter.

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) in the environment - A review

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) are derivatives of PAHs with at least one nitro-functional group (-NO₂) on the aromatic ring. The toxic effects of several nitro-PAHs are more pronounced than those of PAHs. Some nitro-PAHs are classified as possible or probable human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Nitro-PAHs are released into the environment from combustion of carbonaceous materials (e.g. fossil fuels, biomass, waste) and post-emission transformation of PAHs. Most studies on nitro-PAHs are about air (gas-phase and particulate matter), therefore less is known about the occurrence, concentrations, transport and fate of nitro-PAHs in soils, aquatic environment and biota. Studies on partition and exchange of nitro-PAHs between adjacent environmental compartments are also sparse. The concentrations of nitro-PAHs cannot easily be predicted from the intensity of anthropogenic activity or easily related to those of PAHs. This is because anthropogenic source strengths of nitro-PAHs are different from those of PAHs, and also nitro-PAHs have additional sources (formed by photochemical conversion of PAHs). The fate and transport of nitro-PAHs could be considerably different from their related PAHs because of their higher molecular weights and considerably different sorption mechanisms. Hence, specific knowledge on nitro-PAHs is required. Regulations on nitro-PAHs are also lacking. We present an extensive review of published literature on the sources, formation, physico-chemical properties, methods of determination, occurrence, concentration, transport, fate, (eco)toxicological and adverse health effects of nitro-PAHs. We also make suggestions and recommendations about data needs, and future research directions on nitro-PAHs. It is expected that this review will stimulate scientific discussion and provide the basis for further research and regulations on nitro-PAHs.

Biotransformation of 4-sec-butylphenol by Gram-positive bacteria of the genera Mycobacterium and Nocardia including modifications on the alkyl chain and the hydroxyl group

The environmental pollutant 4-sec-butylphenol (4-sec-BP) which possesses estrogenic properties was transformed by the aerobic Gram-positive bacteria Mycobacterium neoaurum and Nocardia cyriacigeorgica into three main products (P1-P3) which were isolated and structurally characterized in detail. Two of them were products of a process resembling anaerobic metabolism of alkylphenols based on modifications of the alkyl side chain of 4-sec-BP. The first product (P1) was identified as 4-(2-hydroxy-1-methylpropyl)-phenol. The second product P2 was isolated as a mixture of at least four structures which could be identified as I 4-sec-butylidenecyclohexa-2,5-dienone; II 4-(1-methylenepropyl)-phenol; III 4-(1-methylpropenyl)-phenol; and IV 4-(1-methylallyl)-phenol. In contrast to P1 and P2, the third product (P3) resulted from a modification of the hydroxyl group of 4-sec-BP. This product was only formed by M. neoaurum and was identified as the glucoside conjugate 4-sec-butylphenol-α-D-glucopyranoside. Since in general, fungi synthesize sugar conjugates to detoxify hazardous pollutants, the formation of this conjugate is a peculiarity of M. neoaurum. Thus, altogether, six products were formed from 4-sec-BP and different transformation pathways are introduced. The hydroxylating and glucosylating capacity of the characterized bacteria open up applications in environmental protection.

Genotoxic bioactivation of constituents of a diesel exhaust particle extract by the human lung

The ability of the human lung to catalyze genotoxic bioactivation of constituents of diesel exhaust particle (DEP) extract (DEPE) and the identity of the lung enzymes involved in the bioactivation were investigated using human lung tissues obtained from surgical resections. Genotoxicity was determined by lung S9-catalyzed mutagenicity of DEPE constituents to Salmonella typhimurium TA98NR in the Ames test and by DEPE-induced pneumocyte DNA damage response as determined by γH2Ax expression in ex vivo tissues. S9 was prepared from lung explants treated ex vivo with either DEPE to induce pulmonary enzymes (DEPE-S9) or vehicle only (CON-S9). TA98NR served as the tester strain for the purpose of enhancing and minimizing the contribution of lung S9 and Salmonella, respectively, to DEPE bioactivation. DEPE-S9 was 2.2-fold more active than CON-S9 or rat liver S9 in DEPE bioactivation and the bioactivation was inhibited 58, 45, 22, and 16% by α-naphthoflavone, dicumarol, ketoconazole, and ticlopidine, respectively. Alveolar S9 was less active than bronchioalveolar S9 in DEPE bioactivation. DEPE and diesel exhaust particles (DEP) induced γ-pH2Ax expression in pulmonary cells. Pulmonary CYP1A1 and NQO1 were induced by DEPE treatment, with the constitutive and induced CYP1A1 distributed throughout all peripheral lung regions, whereas NQO1 was limited in distribution to bronchiolar epithelium. The results show that the human lung is highly active in catalyzing genotoxic bioactivation of diesel emission constituents and that CYP1A and NQO1 play major roles in the reaction. The findings underscore the usefulness of human lung tissues in studies of the pneumotoxicity potential of chemicals to humans.

The influence of automobile exhausts on mutagenicity of soils: contamination with, fractionation, separation, and preliminary identification of mutagens in the Salmonella/reversion assay and effects of solvent fractions on the sister-chromatid exchanges in human lymphocyte cultures and in the in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay

To test the assumption that automobile exhausts contribute to soil mutagenicity, two soils with low levels of mutagenic activities were exposed to traffic exhausts at a heavily charged junction of German motorways (Autobahnen) for 3, 7, 10, 13, 17, 21, and 26 weeks. Indeed, in the presence of a metabolic activation system from rat liver (S9), an average increase of 8 and 9 (4 and 12) revertants per gram per week was found in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 (TA 100). In the absence of S9, meaningful measurements were impossible on account of a concurrent dose dependent increase of toxicity. No correlation between the increase of mutagenicity and the contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) could be detected. In another series, soils sampled at the roadside and at distances of 10 and 50m of five roads near Mainz expressed 10-20-fold higher mutagenicity (revertants per gram) under identical test conditions as compared with the average of agricultural soils. Toxic effects, however, again confounded the results and no correlation between the distance from roads and the levels of mutagenicity could be demonstrated. Subsequently, Soxhlet-extraction with the solvent sequence dichloromethane, acetone, and toluene/diethylketone was found to be an optimum procedure for soils at roadsides. The mass balance of solvent fractionation of such soils revealed that <2% each belonged to organic acids and bases, approximately 4% to fractions designed polar neutrals, approximately 8% to polar aromatics, approximately 7% to dichloromethane solubles, and approximately 79% to cylohexane solubles, among them approximately 63% acetone soluble compounds. The major part of mutagenicity (55-65%) was present in the fraction of polar aromatics, followed by polar neutrals and the acetone subfraction of cyclohexane solubles ( approximately 10% each) summarizing the results obtained with S. typhimurium TA 98, TA 98NR, YG 1021, YG 1024, TA 100, YG 1026, and YG 1029 with and without addition of S9. The modified tester strains, either deficient in nitroreductase (TA 98NR) or overproducing nitroreductase (YG 1021, 1026) or O-acetyl-transferase (YG 1024, 1026), indicated a major contribution of nitroarenes to soil mutagenicity. With respect to mutagenic PAH, high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed that >90% of dibenz[a,h]anthracene (4.18mg/kg soil), benzo[a]pyrene (1.96mg), benzofluoranthenes (0.14mg), and benz[a]anthracene (0. 18mg) were present in the acetone subfraction of cyclohexane solubles. Concentrations and mutagenic activities, however, did not correlate. Additional preparative and analytical HPLC of the solvent fractions of polar neutrals and polar aromatics, resulted in the tentative identification of 2-nitrofluorene. Analysis of the vertical profile of soil revealed an increase of mutagenicity per gram from the surface to a maximum at 5-15cm depth and a subsequent decrease with very little activity remaining deeper than 35cm. In human lymphocyte cultures, the fraction of polar aromatics, 0.01-0. 3microg/ml, induced 11.27+/-4.76-20.70+/-6.19 sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) per cell in the absence of S9 (solvent control: 10. 16+/-4.83 SCE per cell) and 12.77+/-6.53-17.87+/-4.93 SCE per cell in the presence of S9 (solvent control: 8.37+/-3.92 SCE per cell). However, no activities could be detected in the fractions of polar neutrals and non-polar neutrals. Again, negative results were obtained in the in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay at 2000mg/kg p.o. with all fractions.

Fungal biotransformation of 6-nitrochrysene

The fungus Cunninghamella elegans was used to biotransform 6-nitrochrysene, a mutagen that is a widespread environmental contaminant. After 6 days, 74% of the 3H-labeled 6-nitrochrysene added had been metabolized to two isomeric sulfate conjugates. These conjugates were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography and identified by UV-visible, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectral techniques as 6-nitrochrysene 1-sulfate and 6-nitrochrysene 2-sulfate.

Stability of 1-nitropyrene and 1,6-dinitropyrene in environmental water samples and soil suspensions

This study examined the stability of mutagenic 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) and (1,6-dinitropyrene (1,6-diNP) in environmental water samples and various soil suspensions containing 0.1% peptone and in water samples containing no peptone. The water samples or the soil suspensions were mixed with NPs and incubated at 30 degrees C. The stability of NPs was expressed as mutagenic activity remaining in the test solutions. The mutagenicity decreased rapidly when 1-NP or 1,6-diNP was incubated in unautoclaved test solutions containing 0.1% peptone but not when incubated in autoclaved test solutions. The mutagenicity in the soil suspensions, especially in the sludge, decreased faster than in the water samples. This was due to the large number of colony-forming units (CFU) in the soil suspensions. In the water samples containing 0.1% peptone, the mutagenicity of NPs in the polluted Tamiya River water decreased faster than in the unpolluted Yoshino River water. The rate of decrease was dependent on the number of CFU in the water samples. A large number of CFU decreased the mutagenicity more rapidly than did a small number of CFU in samples. The disappearance of mutagenicity was dependent on the initial concentrations of NPs. The periods required for a 50% decrease in the mutagenicity of 1-NP at the low concentration (0.2 microgram/ml) was shorter than that at the high concentration (3 micrograms/ml). 1-Aminopyrene was detected in the 1-NP test solution after incubation when it was analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. In the water samples containing no peptone, the mutagenicity of 1-NP (0.2 microgram/ml) decreased gradually during 30 days of incubation. After incubation for 1540 days, the remaining mutagenicity of 1-NP in the water samples was almost the same as that in autoclaved water samples. On the other hand, the mutagenicity of 1,6-diNP (10 ng/ml) decreased and the remaining mutagenicity, except in the Yoshino River water, was less than 20% after 30 days of incubation and was completely lost during the 1540-day incubation. However, the mutagenicity of 1,6-diNP in autoclaved water samples was very stable and almost all mutagenicity, except in sea water, remained after 1540 days of incubation at 30 degrees C. These results suggest that the microflora in the environment plays an important role in the primary degradation and decontamination of relatively low concentrations of NPs.

Reduction and mutagenic activation of nitroaromatic compounds by a Mycobacterium sp

Mycobacterium sp. strain Pyr-1 cells, which were grown to the stationary phase in media with and without pyrene, were centrifuged and resuspended in a medium containing 1-nitropyrene. Cells that had been grown with pyrene oxidized up to 20% of the added 1-nitropyrene to 1-nitropyrene-cis-9,10- and 4,5-dihydrodiols. However, cells that had been grown without pyrene reduced up to 70% of the 1-nitropyrene to 1-aminopyrene but did not produce dihydrodiols. The nitroreductase activity was oxygen insensitive, intracellular, and inducible by nitro compounds. Nitroreductase activity was inhibited by p-chlorobenzoic acid, o-iodosobenzoic acid, menadione, dicumarol, and antimycin A. Extracts from cells that had been grown without pyrene activated 1-nitropyrene, 1-amino-7-nitrofluorene, 2,7-dinitro-9-fluorenone, 1,3-dinitropyrene, 1,6-dinitropyrene, and 6-nitrochrysene to DNA-damaging products, as shown in Salmonella typhimurium tester strains by the reversion assay and by induction of the umuC gene. Activation of nitro compounds, as shown by the umu test, was enhanced by NADPH. This study shows that Mycobacterium sp. strain Pyr-1 metabolizes nitroaromatic compounds by both oxidative and reductive pathways. During reduction, it generates products that are mutagenic.

Metabolism of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pyrene by Aspergillus niger SK 9317

The metabolism of pyrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of four rings, by Aspergillus niger SK 9317 was investigated. The metabolites formed were isolated and identified as 1-hydroxypyrene, 1,6- and 1,8-pyrenequinone, 1,6- and 1,8-dihydroxypyrene, 1-pyrenyl sulphate and 1-hydroxy-8-pyrenyl sulphate. This is the first report of 1-hydroxy-8-pyrenyl as a metabolite in the microbial metabolism of pyrene. The results suggest that A. niger metabolizes pyrene by cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase enzyme systems.

Fungal metabolism of 3-nitrofluoranthene

We investigated the metabolism of 3-nitrofluoranthene by filamentous fungus, Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 36112. Cunninghamella elegans metabolized about 72% of the 3-nitro[3,4-14C]fluoranthene added during 144 h of incubation to 2 major metabolites. These metabolites were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and identified as 3-nitrofluoranthene-8-sulfate and 3-nitrofluoranthene-9-sulfate by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, UV-visible, and mass spectral techniques. These results, in conjunction with previous studies on the fungal metabolism of fluoranthene, indicate that the nitro substituent at the C-3 position of fluoranthene sterically hinders epoxidation and shifts metabolism to the C-8 and C-9 positions. Since the phenolic microsomal metabolites of 3-nitrofluoranthene are mutagenic, the formation of sulfate conjugates of 8- and 9-hydroxy-3-nitrofluoranthene by C. elegans suggests that the fungal metabolic pathways may be beneficial for detoxification of this ubiquitous pollutant.

A novel compound, 9-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene, is a major photodegraded compound of 1-nitropyrene in the environment

1-Nitropyrene is a widely distributed environmental contaminant, but its fate in the environment remains unknown. 1-Nitropyrene in benzene exposed to sunlight was found to degrade rapidly, whereas 1-nitropyrene adsorbed on soot was stable and degraded at a rate of 42% in 40 d. The major degraded compound was identified as 9-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene, using nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Concentrations of 9-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene were found to be between 15 and 23 pg/m3 in urban airborne samples. The mutagenic potency of 9-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene was much lower than that of 1-nitropyrene. We concluded that 1-nitropyrene in the environment is photodegraded into 9-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene to become a less mutagenic compound.

Fungal metabolism and detoxification of fluoranthene

Five metabolites produced by Cunninghamella elegans from fluoranthene (FA) in biotransformation studies were investigated for mutagenic activity towards Salmonella typhimurium TA100 and TA104. Whereas FA displayed positive, dose-related mutagenic responses in both tester strains in the presence of a rat liver homogenate fraction, 3-FA-beta-glucopyranoside, 3-(8-hydroxy-FA)-beta-glucopyranoside, FA trans-2,3-dihydrodiol, and 8-hydroxy-FA trans-2,3-dihydrodiol were negative. 9-Hydroxy-FA trans-2,3-dihydrodiol showed a weak positive response in S. typhimurium TA100. Mutagenicity assays performed with samples extracted at 24-h intervals during incubation of C. elegans with FA for 120 h showed that mutagenic activity decreased with time. Comparative studies with rat liver microsomes indicated that FA trans-2,3-dihydrodiol, the previously identified proximal mutagenic metabolite of FA, was the major metabolite. The circular dichroism spectrum of the rat liver microsomal FA trans-2,3-dihydrodiol indicated that it was optically active. In contrast, the circular dichroism spectrum of the fungal FA trans-2,3-dihydrodiol showed no optical activity. These results indicate that C. elegans has the potential to detoxify FA and that the stereochemistry of its trans-2,3-dihydrodiol metabolite reduces its mutagenic potential.

Detoxification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by fungi

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of hazardous environmental pollutants, many of which are acutely toxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic. A diverse group of fungi, including Aspergillus ochraceus, Cunninghamella elegans, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Syncephalastrum racemosum, have the ability to oxidize PAHs. The PAHs anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, fluoranthene, fluorene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene, as well as several methyl-, nitro-, and fluoro-substituted PAHs, are metabolized by one or more of these fungi. Unsubstituted PAHs are oxidized initially to arene oxides, trans-dihydrodiols, phenols, quinones, and tetralones. Phenols and trans-dihydrodiols may be further metabolized, and thus detoxified, by conjugation with sulfate, glucuronic acid, glucose, or xylose. Although dihydrodiol epoxides and other mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds have been detected as minor fungal metabolites of a few PAHs, most transformations performed by fungi reduce the mutagenicity and thus detoxify the PAHs.

Biodegradation of 1-nitropyrene

The metabolism of 14C-labeled 1-nitropyrene in microcosms containing nonsterile estuarine sediments, and in cultures of a Mycobacterium sp. previously isolated from oil-contaminated sediments was investigated. Although mineralization of 1-nitropyrene by pure cultures of the Mycobacterium sp. totaled only 12.3% after 10 days of incubation, over 80% of the ethyl acetate extractable 14C-labeled compounds consisted of 1-nitropyrene metabolites. High pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of 1-nitropyrene degradation products indicated that two major metabolites were formed. They were identified as 1-nitropyrene cis-9,10- and 4,5-dihydrodiols, based on their UV-visible, mass and NMR spectra. Time course studies in microcosms showed that 1-nitropyrene was degraded slowly under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in estuarine sediments. Less than 1% had been converted to 14CO2 after 8 weeks of aerobic incubation. The addition of 1-nitropyrene to anaerobic sediments resulted in no 14CO2 evolution; however, the nitro group of 1-nitropyrene was reduced to form 1-aminopyrene. Although the mineralization of 1-nitropyrene in sediments was slow, the Mycobacterium sp. metabolized 1-nitropyrene in pure culture. This bacterium appears promising for the bioremediation of this ubiquitous pollutant in contaminated waste.

Fungal transformation of fluoranthene

The fungus Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 36112 metabolized approximately 80% of the 3-14C-labeled fluoranthene (FA) added within 72 h of incubation. C. elegans metabolized FA to trans-2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrofluoranthene (trans-2,3-dihydrodiol), 8- and 9-hydroxyfluoranthene trans-2,3-dihydrodiol, 3-fluoranthene-beta-glucopyranoside, and 3-(8-hydroxyfluoranthene)-beta-glucopyranoside. These metabolites were separated by thin-layer and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and identified by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, UV, and mass spectral techniques. The major pathway involved hydroxylation to form a glucoside conjugate of 3-hydroxyfluoranthene and a glucoside conjugate of 3,8-dihydroxyfluoranthene which together accounted for 52% of the total ethyl acetate-soluble metabolites. C. elegans initially metabolized FA in the 2,3 position to form fluoranthene trans-2,3-dihydrodiol, which has previously been shown to be a biologically active compound in mammalian and bacterial genotoxicity tests. However, C. elegans formed predominantly glucoside conjugates of the phenolic derivatives of FA, which suggests that this fungus has the potential to detoxify FA.

Stereoselective fungal metabolism of methylated anthracenes

The metabolism of 9-methylanthracene (9-MA), 9-hydroxymethylanthracene (9-OHMA), and 9,10-dimethylanthracene (9,10-DMA) by the fungus Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 36112 is described. The metabolites were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography and characterized by UV-visible, mass, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectral techniques. The compounds 9-MA and 9,10-DMA were metabolized by two pathways, one involving initial hydroxylation of the methyl group(s) and the other involving epoxidation of the 1,2- and 3,4- aromatic double bond positions, followed by enzymatic hydration to form hydroxymethyl trans-dihydrodiols. For 9-MA metabolism, the major metabolites identified were trans-1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxy and trans-3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxy derivatives of 9-MA and 9-OHMA. 9-OHMA was also metabolized to trans-1,2- and 3,4-dihydrodiol derivatives. The absolute configuration and optical purity were determined for each of the trans-dihydrodiols formed by fungal metabolism and compared with previously published circular dichroism spectral data obtained from rat liver microsomal metabolism of 9-MA, 9-OHMA, and 9,10-DMA. Circular dichroism spectral analysis revealed that the major enantiomer for each dihydrodiol was predominantly in the S,S configuration, in contrast to the predominantly R,R configuration of the trans-dihydrodiol formed by mammalian enzyme systems. These results indicate that C. elegans metabolizes methylated anthracenes in a highly stereoselective manner that is different from that reported for rat liver microsomes.

Identification of a novel metabolite in phenanthrene metabolism by the fungus Cunninghamella elegans

The metabolism of phenanthrene by the fungus Cunninghamella elegans was investigated. Kinetic experiments using [9-14C]phenanthrene showed that after 72 h, 53% of the total radioactivity was associated with a glucoside conjugate of 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (phenanthrene 1-O-beta-glucose). This metabolite was isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and characterized by the application of UV absorption, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectral techniques. The results show that aromatic ring oxidation followed by glucosylation is a predominant pathway in the metabolism of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon phenanthrene by C. elegans.

Microbial transformation of 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene

The fungal metabolism of the potent mutagenic and carcinogenic nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (nitro-PAH) 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (6-NO2-BaP) was investigated. Cunninghamella elegans was incubated with 6-NO2-BaP for periods ranging between 1 and 7 d, and the metabolites formed were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography and identified by their UV-visible absorption, mass, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. The results of our study indicate that C. elegans metabolized 6-NO2-BaP to glucoside and sulfate conjugates of 1- and 3-hydroxy 6-NO2-BaP and suggests that glycosylation and sulfation reactions may represent detoxification pathways in the fungal metabolism of nitro-PAHs. Experiments using [G3H]-6-NO2-BaP indicated that C. elegans metabolized 62% of 6-NO2-BaP within 168 h. Our data also indicated that the nitro group at the C-6 position of benzo[a]pyrene blocked metabolism at the regions peri to the nitro substituent (C-7, C-8 positions) and enhanced metabolism at the C-1 and C-3 positions. The ability of the fungus C. elegans to metabolize 6-NO2-BaP to biologically inactive compounds may have practical applications in the detoxification of nitro-PAH-contaminated wastes.