Bacterial Degradation of N,N-Diethyl-m-Toluamide (DEET): Cloning and Heterologous Expression of DEET Hydrolase

Pseudomonas putida DTB grew aerobically with N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) as a sole carbon source, initially breaking it down into 3-methylbenzoate and diethylamine. The former was further metabolized via 3-methylcatechol and meta ring cleavage. A gene from DTB, dthA, was heterologously expressed and shown to encode the ability to hydrolyze DEET into 3-methylbenzoate and diethylamine.