Screening of Microorganisms for Catechol Production from Benzene

Abstract

Pseudomonas strain BE-81, capable of growing significantly on benzene as a sole carbon source, was isolated from enrichment culture. Strain BE-81 is suggested to metabolize benzene by the oxidation system via benzene glycol as an intermediate, and to be suitable for the continuous production of catechol without addition or regeneration of NADH2. The catechol accumulating mutant, strain 136R-3, was developed from strain BE-81 by complete blockage of catechol catabolisms including the meta and ortho pathways, using double mutagenesis induced by NTG, and enrichment by non-selective growth with p-hydroxy-benzoate, suicide treatment with halogenated compounds and antibiotics lysises in the presence of benzene and benzoate.