Induction of maleate hydratase in Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes

Maleate hydratase (malease, EC 4.2.1.31) activity in P. pseudoalcaligenes is induced when grown on3-hydroxybenzoate. The specific malease activity was constant during the logarithmic phase in a batch culture containing 3-hydroxybenzoate as the carbon source, when 3-hydroxybenzoate-grown cells were used as inoculum. When yeast extract-grown cells were used as inoculum, the specific malease activity was correlated with growth. In both instances the specific malease activity dropped rapidly as soon as growth ceased. Maleate did not serve as a growth substrate for this microorganism, but a mutant able to grow on maleate was selected. The specific malease activity of maleate-grown cells of this mutant was not higher than the basal level of induction of malease activity.