Pseudomonas alcaligenes strain PA-10 degrades the four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fluoranthene, co-metabolically. HPLC analysis of the growth medium identified four intermediates, 9-fluorenone-1-carboxylic acid; 9-hydroxy-1-fluorene carboxylic acid; 9-fluorenone and 9-fluorenol, formed during fluoranthene degradation. Pre-exposure of PA-10 to 9-fluorenone-1-carboxylic acid and 9-hydroxy-1-fluorene-carboxylic acid resulted in increases in fluoranthene removal, while pre-exposure to 9-fluorenone and 9-fluorenol resulted in a decrease in fluoranthene degradation. The rate of indole transformation was similarly affected by pre-exposure to these metabolic intermediates, indicating a link between fluoranthene degradation and indigo formation in this strain.
