Isolation and Identification of a Pyrogallol Oxidase Producing Microorganism and the Enzyme Production

A carbazole-using bacterium was isolated from oil polluted soil and identified as Flavobacterium sp. OCM-1 from its taxonomical characteristics. Its optimal culture conditions were identified. The growth and carbazole-degradation were found in the ranges of 20–30°C and pH 6–8. We found microbial production of indole-3-acetic acid from carbazole by strain OCM-1. Indole-3-acetic acid was identified as a metabolite of carbazole using thin-layer chromatography, mass and ¹H-NMR-spectra. 1.5 mg of indole-3-acetic acid was formed from 250 mg of carbazole.