Nitroaromatic compound-degrading bacterium. Acidovorax sp. JS42

Acidovorax sp. JS42. Acidovorax sp. JS42, formerly Pseudomonas sp. JS42, was isolated from nitrobenzene-contaminated sediment and is capable of using 2-nitrotolulene as a sole carbon and energy source. 2-nitrotolulene, a nitroaromatic compound, is used in the manufacture of dyes, pigments and explosives. Nitroaromatic compounds, which contain an aromatic ring with one or more nitro groups attached, are a significant contaminant in industrial soils. Acidovorax sp. JS42 degrades 2-nitrotolulene by first removing the nitro moiety producing 3-methylcatechol. The enzyme involved in this process, 2-nitrotolulene dioxygenase, has been purified and characterized. The genome sequence of this organism will provide information on the production and regulation of this enzyme.