Identification and biotechnological potential of psychrotrophic marine isolates

Abstract

Background: Importance of microbial metabolites in food, detergent, pharmaceutical,nutraceutical and cosmetic industries has now been widely established. To fulfill the requirementof these industries, psychrophilic/psychrotrophic marine microbes are being explored. Thesemicrobes help in the production of metabolites that are active and stable at extreme physiologicalconditions. In correlation with this scenario, the present study reports identification of 14 bacterialisolates (BRI 32- BRI 45) from marine water samples (out of which 4 are Antarctic) with emphasis ontheir biotechnologically important characters.Material and Methods: Bacterial isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Growthof the isolates under different physiological conditions of temperature (10ºC to 45ºC), pH andconcentration of NaCl (0-20%) was studied. Further, the isolates were examined for their ability toproduce i) polyunsaturated fatty acids, ii) industrially important enzymes and their potential toproduce bio-surfactant.Results: 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolates belonged to Halomonas,Brevibacillus, Kocuria and Oceanobacillus genera. Our results indicated that the isolates could growover a wide range of physiological conditions of pH , temperature (10-45°C) and NaClconcentration. Eight out of 14 isolates showed the presence of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.BRI 34 was found to produce significant amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (39.66%). Most of theisolates exhibited the ability to produce 3 or 4 enzymes. Only BRI 35 showed potential forbiosurfactant production.Conclusions: Our findings suggest potential of these isolates for biotechnological applications.