Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was first studied by Hayaishi and colleagues in 1950. In 1967, catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas arvilla C-1 (PaCTD) was chosen as a model system for the catecholic intradiol dioxygenases due to its activity, stability, and expression level. Here we report the 2.65 angstrom structure of the beta beta isozyme of PaCTD. The structure supports the hypothesis first made by Vetting and Ohlendorf [The 1.8 angstrom crystal structure of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase reveals a novel hydrophobic helical zipper as a subunit linker, Struct. Fold. Des. 8 (2000) 429-440.] that the catechol 1,2-dioxygenases are lipid binding proteins. The 5 amino-terminal helices involved in dimerization and forming the lipid binding site are shown to be plastic in their positions and orientations. The sequence differences between the alpha and beta polypeptides are located at the part of the monomers distant from dimerization surface and thus permit the formation of the 3 isozymes (alpha alpha, alpha beta, and beta beta) of PaCTD. The reported inactivation by sulthydryl-modifying reagents is explained by the structure. The 10-residue Helix F (residues 203-212) is proposed to be central in communicating between the lipid binding site and the active site.