Nonaromatic Products from Anoxic Conversion of Benzoyl-CoA with Benzoyl-CoA Reductase and Cyclohexa-1,5-diene-1-carbonyl-CoA Hydratase*

The enzymes benzoyl-CoA reductase and cyclohex-1,5-diene-1-carbonyl-CoA hydratase catalyzing the first steps of benzoyl-CoA conversion under anoxic conditions were purified from the denitrifying bacterium, Thauera aromatica. Reaction products obtained with [ring-13C6]benzoyl-CoA and [ring-14C]benzoyl-CoA as substrates were analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography and by NMR spectroscopy. The main product obtained with titanium(III) citrate or with reduced [8Fe-8S]-ferredoxin from T. aromatica as electron donors was identified as cyclohexa-1,5-diene-1-carbonyl-CoA. The cyclic diene was converted into 6-hydroxycyclohex-1-ene-1-carbonyl-CoA by the hydratase. Assay mixtures containing reductase, hydratase, and sodium dithionite or a mixture of sulfite and titanium(III) citrate as reducing agent afforded cyclohex-2-ene-1-carbonyl-CoA and 6-hydroxycylohex-2-ene-1-carbonyl-CoA. The potential required for the first electron transfer to the model compoundS-ethyl-thiobenzoate yielding a radical anion was determined by cyclic voltammetry as −1.9 V versus a standard hydrogen electrode. The energetics of enzymatic ring reduction of benzoyl-CoA are discussed.