o-Nitrobenzoate is used as a reagent for protection of NH2 groups in organic synthesis. Pseudomonas fluorescens KU-7, Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100, and other strains are capable of utilizing o-nitrobenzoate as the sole carbon, nitrogen and energy source ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11034277|Hasegawa et al., 2000]; [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10623604|Chauhn et al., 2000]; [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12620844|Muraki et al., 2003]). o-Nitrobenzoate is degraded by a two electron reduction of the nitro moiety, yielding o-Hydroxylaminobenzoate. Ps. fluorescens KU-7 ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11034277|Hasegawa et al., 2000]), and more recently A. protophormiae RKJ100 ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14680704|Pandey et al., 2003]), were shown to transform o-Hydroxylaminobenzoate to 3-Hydroxyanthranilate. In addition, A. protophormiae RKJ100 can transform it to 2-Aminobenzoate (anthranilic acid). This oxygen-insensitive reductive catabolic pathway of o-nitrobenzoate provides evidence that 2-Aminobenzoate is not produced as a side reaction but is an obligate intermediate in a direct energy yielding metabolic pathway by Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100 ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10623604|Chauhan et al., 2000]).