Isolation and preliminary characterization of a novel nicotine-degrading bacterium, Ochrobactrum intermedium DN2

 A bacterium, identified as Ochrobactrum intermedium on the basis of phenotypic characterization and 16S rRNA gene analysis, capable of degrading nicotine was isolated and characterized. The strain, DN2, degraded all nicotine in basal medium containing 500-4000 mg nicotine L−1. Analysis of nicotine degradation by cell extracts provided evidence that the nicotine-degrading enzymes were localized in the cell-wall membrane.