Abstract
M.Sc. (Biochemistry)
Pseudomonas, as originally defined by Migula (1894), was a genus encompassing an assembly of rod-shaped, Gram-negative, aerobic gammaproteobacteria, possessing one or more polar flagella for motility. This vague description resulted in the misclassification of polarly flagellated proteobacteria that had not been completely characterized. Re-evaluation of the taxonomy of Pseudomonads was set into motion by advancements in molecular biology. Following this revision, Pseudomonads were clustered based on the homogeneity in their 16S rRNA sequence (Anzai et al., 2000). Research on Pseudomonas species has gained momentum owing to their significant prospects in biotechnological processes. Their exploitation for use as cleaning, biocontrol and bioremediation agents dates back to the 1980s (Sebastian and Kolattukudy, 1988; Weller, 1988)...