Microbial Transformation of Carbazole to Indole-3-acetic Acid by Flavobacterium sp. OCM-1

Abstract

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.