Homologous recombination is facilitated in starving populations of Pseudomonas putida by phenol stress and affected by chromosomal location of the recombination target

► Homologous recombination increases in starving P. putida in the presence of phenol. ► Reactive oxygen species stimulate homologous recombination. ► Emergence of recombinants is suppressed by DNA mismatch repair enzymes and RpoS. ► Chromosomal location of the target influences frequency of homologous recombination. ► In silico analysis of binding sites of NAPs at homologous recombination target sites.