The bacterial strain JE-1 degrading and utilizing Congo Red as a sole carbon source was isolated from dye-contaminated soil and identified as Enterobacter species. Enterobacter sp. JE-1 had the highest decolorization ability when it was cultured in the medium containing 0.05% NH_4NO_3, 0.05% K_2HPO_4 0.03% MgSO_4·7H_2O, 0.025% Congo Red, initial pH 7.0 at 30℃, respectively. Enterobacter sp. JE-1 had the relatively high substrate specificity. The dye decolorizing activity was exclusively extracellular. The expected metabolic intermediates of Congo Red by Enterobacter sp. JE-1 were analyzed by GC/MS. As a result, metabolic products like hexadecanoic acid, 1,2,3-triphenylcyclopropene, aliphatic hydrocarbons such as hexadecane, heptadecane, octadecane, hexacosane etc., and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, dibutyl ester were detected. Benzidine did not detected.

• 공은진(부산대학교 미생물학과) | Eun-Jin Kong (Dept. of Microbiology, Pusan National University)
• 김종수(부산대학교 미생물학과) | Jong-Soo Kim (Dept. of Microbiology, Pusan National University)
• 이건(부산대학교 미생물학과) | Geon Lee (Dept. of Microbiology, Pusan National University)
• 이상준(부산대학교 미생물학과) | Sang-Joon Lee (Dept. of Microbiology, Pusan National University)
• 이종근(부산대학교 미생물학과) | Jong-Kun Lee (Dept. of Microbiology, Pusan National University)