ABSTRACT
Bioremediation plays a major role in the removal of xenobiotics from the contaminated sites by using biological entities. The metabolic versatility of microorganisms to degrade/convert such toxic compounds is beneficial for the sustainable environment. This chapter focuses on the microbial degradation of pesticides. Various organisms belonging to generaFlavobacterium, Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, etc. have been reported to metabolize pesticides. Understanding metabolic pathways, enzymes involved, and localization of genes on chromosome or plasmid determines the metabolic potential of a microbe involved in the biodegradation of pesticides. This section also gives limited glimpses on the evolution or acquisition of genes encoding enzymes of the metabolic pathway under selective pressure. The evolutionary aspects will help to understand the importance of the existence of multiple pathways and regulatory features. Furthermore, applicationssuch asdeveloping genetically engineered organisms with the potential to mineralize array of pesticides through diverse routes will help to cleanup contaminated sites more efficiently.
