Genetic Control of Degradation of epsilon-Caprolactam, Toluene, and meta-Xylene in Pseudomonas putida Strain CT3

— A bacterial strain CT3 with a unique ability to degrade anthropogenic toxic compounds ε -caprolactam, toluene, and meta -xylene as sole sources of carbon and energy was isolated from the activated sludge of a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Based on sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of its 16S rRNA gene, the isolate was identified as a Pseudomonas putida strain. P. putida strain СТ3 was found to possess a conjugative megaplasmid (~550 kb) responsible for ε -caprolactam degradation to the TCA cycle intermediates. The genes encoding toluene and meta -xylene oxidation via the TOL pathway are localized on the chromosome.