Pseudomonas mendocina MCM B-402 was found to utilize a triphenylmethane dye, methyl violet as the sole source of carbon when incorporated in synthetic medium. Almost complete decolorization of methyl violet by P. mendocina was observed within 48 h of incubation at ambient temperature (28 +/- 2 degrees C) under aerated culture conditions, when the bacteria were inoculated into Davis Mingioli＇s synthetic medium at a concentration of 100 mg/l medium. Methyl violet was mineralized to CO2 through three unknown intermediate metabolites and phenol. The decolorization of the dye involved demethylation.