Disease relevance of Ethyl t-butyl ether

• Rhodococcus ruber (formerly Gordonia terrae) IFP 2001 is one of a few bacterial strains able to degrade ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), which is a major pollutant from gasoline [1].

High impact information on Ethyl t-butyl ether

• Cloning of a genetically unstable cytochrome P-450 gene cluster involved in degradation of the pollutant ethyl tert-butyl ether by Rhodococcus ruber [1].
• Biotransformation and kinetics of excretion of ethyl tert-butyl ether in rats and humans [2].
• Controlled ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) exposure of male volunteers. I. Toxicokinetics [3].
• The biodegradation sequence of the target compounds by the mixed culture, in order of removal rate, was toluene, ethyl benzene, p-xylene, benzene, MTBE, ethyl ether, tert-amyl methyl ether, and ethyl tert-butyl ether [4].
• Kinetic data, correlation studies, chemical inhibition and metabolism by heterologously expressed human CYPs support the assertion that the major enzyme involved in MTBE, ETBE and TAME metabolisms is CYP2A6, with a minor contribution of CYP3A4 at low substrate concentration [5].

Biological context of Ethyl t-butyl ether

• Aerobic degradation of ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME), as tertiary-substrates, was studied in a continuous upflow fixed-bed reactor (UFBR) using an external oxygenator and sintered glass rings as biomass carriers [6].
• Biotransformation of MTBE and ETBE was similar in humans and rats after inhalation exposure [7].

Associations of Ethyl t-butyl ether with other chemical compounds

• Methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl t-butyl ether (ETBE) are commonly used in unleaded gasoline to increase the oxygen content of fuel and to reduce carbon monoxide emissions from motor vehicles [8].
• Determination of low level methyl tert-butyl ether, ethyl tert-butyl ether and methyl tert-amyl ether in human urine by HS-SPME gas chromatography/mass spectrometry [9].

Gene context of Ethyl t-butyl ether

• Oxidative demethylation of MTBE and TAME and deethylation of ETBE by CYP enzymes results in the formation of tertiary alcohols and aldehydes, both potentially toxic [5].

References