PHENANTHRENE-DEGRADING AND NAPHTHALENE-DEGRADING STRAINS OF PSEUDOMONAS-PUTIDA

Pseudomonas putida BS3703 can utilize naphthalene and salicylate as th e sole sources of carbon and energy Its mutant derivatives, strains BS 3701 and BS3703, are able to grow on phenanthrene and an intermediate of its degradation, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, utilizing them via a p athway that involves salicylate and catechol. Unlike BS3701, strain BS 3704 can grow on 5-methyl salicylate and exhibits a high level of cate chol-2,3-dioxygenase activity. Under nonselective conditions, strain B S3701 rapidly loses its capacity to grow on naphthalene, phenanthrene, and 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate but not the capacity to grow on salicylate .