MUTANTS OF PSEUDOMONAS-FLUORESCENS NCIMB-11671 DEFECTIVE IN THE CATABOLISM OF ALPHA-PINENE

Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 11671 metabolises alpha-pinene via alpha -pinene oxide and 2-methyl-5-isopropylhesa-2,5-dienal. Mutants unable to grow on alpha-pinene and/or alpha-pinene oxide have been isolated b y N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, including an unexp ected phenotype able to grow on alpha-pinene but not on alpha-pinene o xide. The mutants have been classified on the basis of their alpha-pin ene monoosygenase, alpha-pinene oxide lyase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities. Biotransformation alpha-pinene by the wild-type and mutan t strains has revealed evidence for alternative routes for pinene meta bolism to that already proposed.