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Summary 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‐pheny lethanol indicates that these compounds could be degraded via the corresponding catechols and then via extradiol cleavage of the aromatic ring.

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