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Pseudomonas. Bacteria belonging to the Pseudomonas group are common inhabitants of soil and water and can also be found on the surfaces of plants and animals. Pseudomonas bacteria are found in nature in a biofilm or in planktonic form. In the latter form the single cell can display an extremely high motility due to its polar flagella. Pseudomonas bacteria are renowned for their metabolic versatility as they can grow under a variety of growth conditions and do not need any organic growth factors. Typically they are plant pathogens, although several strains are pathogenic to humans.

Pseudomonas putida. These bacteria share a high degree of homology to Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. However, key virulence factors like certain exotoxin genes and type III secretion systems are absent, which makes these bacteria non-pathogenic in nature. As they are metabolically versatile, and well characterized, it makes them great candidates for biocatalysis, bioremediation and other agricultural applications. Certain strains have been used in the production of bioplastics.

Pseudomonas putida strain KT2440. This strain was derived from a toluene-degrading isolate, Pseudomonas arvilla strain mt-2 (renamed Pseudomonas putida mt-2), by loss of its plasmid. It is the best characterized saprophytic bacteria, and the choice for cloning and gene expression in Gram-negative bacteria and can survive in the general environment (outside the laboratory). It is used in the development of biopesticides and is the first Gram-negative soil bacterium to be certified as a safety strain by the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee.

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