ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THERMOPHILIC BACTERIA IN NATURAL HOT WATER SPRINGS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH (INDIA)

Abstract

In the present investigation, four thermophilic bacterial strains isolated from Manikaran hot water spring of northern Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh has been studied. Based on morphological and biochemical characters, four isolates viz., PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4, were identified as thermophilic bacteria and the optimal temperature for growth of these isolates was 65ºC and the optimal pH was 6-8. Molecular community were determined by phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and this analysis showed that all phylotypes retrieved from enrichment cultures were affiliated to Firmicutes, belonging to the genera Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus, and Bacillus. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of these four isolates were then submitted to NCBI under these accession numbers. JN 559848.1 (Brevibacillus thermoruber, PS1), JN 559849.1 (Brevibacillus thermoruber, PS2), JN 559850.1 (Paenibacillus sp., PS3) and JN 559851.1 (Bacillus licheniformis, PS4).