[Tn5-mutagenesis of the styrene-degrading strain Pseudomonas sp. Y2. Analysis of transformation products and DNA-scopy of the mutants obtained].

: The bacterium Pseudomonas sp. Y2 using styrene as a sole source of carbon and energy was subjected to transposon Tn5(Kmr) mutagenesis. The mutants were divided into three classes by the ability to grow on styrene, 2-phenylethanol, and phenylacetate. It is shown that 2-phenylethanol is not an obligate metabolite of styrene transformation. This allows the conclusion that in Pseudomonas sp. Y2 styrene can be degraded via consistent oxidation of the side chain by two pathways. For the comparison of strains/mutants and determination of genetic markers, DNA-fingerprinting of total DNA was carried out using electrophoresis of restriction fragments and blot-hybridization with different 32P-DNA-probes.