The strain KKI isolated from soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was identified as Pseundomonas sp. based on analyses by MIDI and Biolog Identification System. Cellular and physiological responses of strain KKI to two-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene were evaluated using radiorespirometry, PLFAs and sequence analysis of Rieske-type iron sulfur center of dioxygenase. KKI was found to be able to rapidly mineralize naphthalene. Notably, KKI cells pregrown on phenanthrene were able to mineralize naphthalene much more rapidly than naphthalenepregrown cells. The total cellular fatty acids of KKI were comprised of eleven C-even and two C-odd fatty acids (fatty acids < 0.2% in abundance were not considered in this calculation). Lipids 12:0 2OH, 12:03 OH, 16:0, 18:1 6c, 18:0 increased for naphthalene-exposed cells, while lipids 18:1 7c1/15:0 ism 2OH, 17:0 cyclo, 18:1 7c, 19:0 cyclo decreased. Data from Northern hybridization using a naphthalene dixoygenase gene fragment cloned out from KKI as a probe provided the information that naphthalene dioxygenase gene was more highly expressed in cells grown on phenanthrene than naphthalene.