Isolation and Identification of a Brevibacterium linens strain degrading p-nitrophenol

A bacterium was isolated from garden soil in basal salts medium containing p-nitrophenol (PNP). Subsequent subcultures in agar, nutrient agar plates and agar slants by streaking led to isolation of pure colonies. The pure culture could degrade up to 300 mg/L PNP in presence of yeast extract. It was Gram positive rods, mostly single, catalase-positive, hydrolyzing strach and casein but not urea. Gelatin liquefaction was positive whereas acid production from carbohydrates was negative. It showed tyrosine clearing and had meso-DAP as the characteristic cell wall amino acid. On the basis of the morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests the organism was identified as Brevibacterium linens . To our knowledge, this is the first report of any Brevibacterium strain able to degrade PNP. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (3), pp. 256-257, 2005