Phenylacetate-coenzyme A ligase is induced during growth on phenylacetic acid in different bacteria of several genera.

Nine different bacterial strains that utilise phenylacetic acid as the only carbon and energy source were isolated from samples of different geographical origin. The isolates were characterised taxonomically and physiologically. Evidence is presented that in all the isolates as well as in four previously isolated control strains with the ability to utilize phenylacetic acid, the enzyme phenylacetate-CoA ligase is specifically induced during growth on phenylacetic acid. The Michaelis constant (Km) in one Pseudomonas strain was sufficiently low (-1 mM) to suggest that the enzyme may have a role in phenylacetic acid metabolism.