General Information: This strain was isolated from soil contaminated with gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane: a toxic insecticide) in Japan. Polychlorinated biphenyl degrading bacterium. Rhodococcus jostii is capable of degrading a wide variety of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are toxic compounds produced by industry, and is studied extensively for this reason. This microbe is being examined thoroughly under different environmental conditions in order to better understand metabolic pathways and gene functions.