DEGRADATION OF STYRENE AND ETHYLBENZENE BY PSEUDOMONAS SPECIES-Y2

Pseudomonas species Y2 is able to grow on styrene, ethylbenzene, 2-phenylethanol, 1-phenylethanol, acetophenone, phenylacetate, and mandelate as a sole source of carbon and energy. Ethylbenzene is transformed by Y2 cells to yield 1-phenylethanol, 2-phenylethanol, phenylacetate, and four novel products: acetophenone, salicylate, 2-hydroxyphenylacetate, and mandelate. Salicylate, 2-hydroxyphenylacetate, 1- and 2-phenylethanol are produced from styrene. The formation of 1-phenylethanol and salicylate from styrene has not been previously described. Our growth experiments have shown that styrene and ethylbenzene are catabolized via 2-phenylethanol and phenylacetate. It is the first report of the ethylbenzene pathway. Ethylbenzene is also catabolized via 1-phenylethanol. The induction of catechol 2,3-dioxygenase by growing the organism on ethylbenzene and 1-phenylethanol indicates that these compounds could be degraded via the corresponding catechols and then via extradiol cleavage of the aromatic ring.