Pseudomonas sp. S-47 is capable of degrading benzoate and 4-chlorobenzoate as well as catechol and 4-chlorocatechol via the meta-cleavage pathway. The three enzymes of 2-oxopenta-4-enoate hydratase (OEH), acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (acylating) (ADA), and 2-oxo-4-hydroxypentonate aldolase (HOA) encoded by xylJQK genes are responsible for the three steps after the meta-cleavage of catechol. The nucleotide sequence of the xylJQK genes located in the chromosomal DNA was cloned and analyzed. GC content of xylJ, xylQ, and xylK was 65% and consisted of 786, 924, and 1,041 nucleotides, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of xylJ, xylQ, and xylK genes from Pseudomonas sp. S-47 showed 93%, 99%, and 99% identity, compared with those of nahT, nahH, and nahI in Pseudomonas stutzeri An10. However, there were only about 53% to 85% identity with xylJQK of Pseudomonas putida mt-2, dmpEFG of P. putida CF600, aphEFG of Comamonas testosteroni TA441, and ipbEGF of P. putida RE204. On the other hand, the xylLTEGF genes located upstream of xylJQK in the strain S-47 showed high homology with those of TOL plasmid from Pseudomonas putida mt-2. These findings suggested that the xylLTEGFIJQK of Pseudomonas sp. S-47 responsible for complete degradation of benzoate and then catechol via the meta-pathway were phylogenetically recombinated from the genes of Pseudomonas putida mt-2 and Pseudomonas stutzeri An10.