Biodegradation of nicotine by a novel strain Pusillimonas

A novel strain, Pusillimonas sp. T2, which is capable of degrading nicotine, was isolated and identified. This strain could completely degrade 500 mg/L nicotine within 8 h at 30 °C, pH 7.0. Six intermediates were detected and identified as 6-hydroxy-nicotine, 6-hydroxy-N-methylmyosmine, 6-hydroxypseudooxynicotine, 2,6-dihydroxypyridine, 6-hydroxy-3-succinoyl-pyridine and 2,5-dihydroxypyridine. Activities of 6-hydroxy-3-succinoyl-pyridine hydroxylase and 2,6-dihydroxypyridine hydroxylase were demonstrated in the cell extracts of strain T2, indicating that this strain may employ a novel variant of the pyridine and pyrrolidine pathways that is different from those of other species. This study provides the first evidence that Pusillimonas bacteria participate in nicotine degradation.