Isolation and Identification of Antibiotic Producing Actinobacteria from the Coast of the Persian Gulf

Abstract

Introduction: Actinomycetes are filamentous and gram-positive bacteria living as free-living, saprophyte, and sometimes in symbiosis with plants. These bacteria could be isolated from all ecosystems including soil, water, marine sediments and especially hot waters. Marine actinobacteria are known as the producers of a vast range of secondary metabolites. Any actinobacterial strain has the genetic potential for the production of 10-20 of the secondary metabolites. About 23000 antibiotic types were discovered from microorganisms which according to the estimations, about 10000 types have been isolated from actinobacteria. The secondary metabolites produced by marine actinobacteria have an extensive range of biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-cancer, cytotoxic, cytostatic, ant-inflammatory, anti-parasite, anti-malaria, antiviral, anti-oxidant and anti-angiogenesis, etc.Materials and Methods: In the present study, water and sediment samples from the Persian Gulf at the Bushehr Atomic Energy Beach were collected for Actinobacteria isolation. For the cultivation of these samples, 7 culture medium types were used. For the identification of the gathered isolates, morphological properties, biochemical tests, and molecular studies (e.g. PCR) were investigated.Results: Twenty-four isolates of Actinobacteria were isolated from water and sediment samples of the Persian Gulf coast. Eighteen of the isolates have antibacterial activities. Seventy-five persent of the isolates were antibiotic producers and 95% of the gathered substances from these 18 strains had an antibacterial effect against gram-positive bacteria and 60% against gram-negative bacteria. Also, 60% of these substances were effective against both bacteria groups.Discussion and Conclusion: The abundance of marine actinobacteria in new sources of the Persian Gulf and the extension of this sea’s coat indicates the potential capability of this source for investigation in the scope of attaining new antibiotics.

Keywords

• the persian gulf
• actinobacteria
• antibiotic
• isolation