BACKGROUNDAnthropogenic activities, in particular industrial processes, increase the emissions of volatile organic compounds to the atmosphere. Using special microorganisms to achieve resource recovery is a challenge for pollutant purification. RESULTSThe -pinene-degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas veroniiZW completely mineralized -pinene to CO2 and H2O. One important intermediate metabolite, 4-isopropylbenzoic acid, was chosen as the target accumulated compound. Through mutagenesis technology, the mutant, P. veroniiZW-A (CCTCC M2015788), was obtained from the wild strain, and its metabolic pathway for -pinene was verified to block in the step of 4-isopropylbenzoic acid. A 663-bp DNA fragment flanking the transposon insertion site was obtained through self-formed adaptor PCR, and was designated as gene orfA, displaying 96% deduced amino acid sequence - similar to rulAB-like protein. Since this protein contained the mono-aromatic and polyaromatic compounds homologue degradation gene, the mutant ZW-A might be an orfA-disrupted strain, incapable of degrading 4-isopropylbenzoic acid. Through the optimization of cultural medium, the accumulation rate increased from 19% to 30.4%. CONCLUSIONThis research identified the gene which was related to the degradation of 4-isopropylbenzoic acid. Such results provided a further understanding of microbial metabolism of -pinene by Pseudomonas species and a new method for microbial biosynthesis of 4-isopropylbenzoic acid. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry