The metabolic pathways whereby strains of Moraxella and Bacillus degrade homogentisate (2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate) are delineated. The Moraxella (strain OA3) is shown to degrade homogentisate via the pathway previously described in liver: homogentisate is cleaved by a 1,2-dioxygenase (E.C 1.13.11.5) yielding maleylacetoacetate which is isomerized by a GSH-dependent isomerase to fumarylacetoacetate before hydrolysis to acetoacetate and fumarate. A strain of Bacillus (B11c) is shown to catabolize homogentisate via a previously undescribed version of the above sequence: homogentisate is cleaved by a 1,2-dioxygenase (E.C 1.13.11.5) yielding maleylacetoacetate which is hydrolyzed directly to acetoacetate and maleate.