bRhodococcus imtechensis RKJ300 (DSM 45091) grows on 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol (2C4NP) and para-nitrophenol (PNP) as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources. In this study, by genetic and biochemical analyses, a novel 2C4NP catabolic pathway different from those of all other 2C4NP utilizers was identified with hydroxyquinol (hydroxy-1,4-hydroquinone or 1,2,4-benzenetriol [BT]) as the ring cleavage substrate. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the pnp cluster located in three operons is likely involved in the catabolism of both 2C4NP and PNP. The oxygenase component (PnpA1) and reductase component (PnpA2) of the two-component PNP monooxygenase were expressed and purified to homogeneity, respectively. The identification of chlorohydroquinone (CHQ) and BT during 2C4NP degradation catalyzed by PnpA1A2 indicated that PnpA1A2 catalyzes the sequential denitration and dechlorination of 2C4NP to BT and catalyzes the conversion of PNP to BT. Genetic analyses revealed that pnpA1 plays an essential role in both 2C4NP and PNP degradations by gene knockout and complementation. In addition to catalyzing the oxidation of CHQ to BT, PnpA1A2 was also found to be able to catalyze the hydroxylation of hydroquinone (HQ) to BT, revealing the probable fate of HQ that remains unclear in PNP catabolism by Gram-positive bacteria. This study fills a gap in our knowledge of the 2C4NP degradation mechanism in Gram-positive bacteria and also enhances our understanding of the genetic and biochemical diversity of 2C4NP catabolism.C hloronitrophenols, such as 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol (2C4NP), 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol (4C2NP), and 2-chloro-5-nitrophenol (2C5NP), with high toxicity to human beings and animals have been widely used in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical industries (1). The natural formation of chloronitrophenols is rare, and most of these compounds in the environment result from anthropogenic activity. Apparently, the introduction of chloronitrophenols into the environment has selected microorganisms to develop the ability to degrade these compounds. So far, several strains able to degrade chloronitrophenols have been isolated, including the 2C4NP-degrading strains Burkholderia sp. strain SJ98 (2), Burkholderia sp. strain RKJ800 (3), Rhodococcus imtechensis RKJ300 (4), and Arthrobacter sp. strain SJCon (5), the 4C2NP-degrading strain Exiguobacterium sp. strain PMA (6), and the 2C5NP-degrading strain Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 (7).Structurally, chloronitrophenols are chemical analogs of nitrophenols. The microbial degradation of nitrophenols has been extensively investigated at genetic and biochemical levels (8-13). In contrast to nitrophenols, chloronitrophenols are more resistant to microbial degradation due to the simultaneous existence of electron-withdrawing chloro and nitro groups, and the knowledge of their microbial degradation is thus very limited. Previously, the partially purified enzymes involved in meta-nitrophenol catabolism were reported to be able to catalyze 2C5NP transformation in Ralstonia eutroph...