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 basal salts 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.