Eight numerically dominant 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butyric acid (2,4-DB)-degrading bacteria and three pairs of bacteria showing syntrophic metabolism of 2,4-DB were isolated from soils, and their phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics were investigated. The isolates were able to utilize 2,4-DB as a sole source of carbon and energy, and their 2.4-DB degradative enzymes were induced by the presence of 2.4-DB. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the isolates were related to members of the genera, Variovorax, Sphingomonas, Bradyrhizobium, and Pseudomonas. The chromosomal DNA patterns of the isolates obtained by polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) amplification of repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) sequences were distinct from each other. Four of the isolates had plasmids, but only one strain, DB 1, rad a transmissible 2,4-D degradative plasmid. When analyzed with PCR using primers targeted to the tfdA, B, and C genes, only strains DB2 and DB9a produced DNA bands of the expected sizes with the tfdA and C primers, respectively. All of the isolates were able to degrade 2,4-D as well as 2,4-DB, suggesting that the degradation pathways of these compounds were closely related to each other, but respiratory activities of many isolates adapted to 2,4-DB metabolism were quite low with 2,4-D.