The chemical reactions and pathways resulting in the breakdown of protocatechuate, the anion of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, to yield oxaloacetate and pyruvate.
Synonyms:
exact_synonym:
protocatechuate breakdown, meta-cleavage; protocatechuate catabolic process to oxaloacetate and pyruvate; protocatechuate degradation, meta-cleavage