Aromatic hydroxylation of indan by o-xylene-degrading Rhodococcus sp. strain DK17.

The metabolically versatile Rhodococcus sp. strain DK17 utilizes indan as a growth substrate via the o-xylene pathway. Metabolite and reverse transcription-PCR analyses indicate that o-xylene dioxygenase hydroxylates indan at the 4,5 position of the aromatic moiety to form cis-indan-4,5-dihydrodiol, which is dehydrogenated to 4,5-indandiol by a dehydrogenase. 4,5-indandiol undergoes ring cleavage by a meta-cleavage dioxygenase.