Majority of Actinobacterial Strains Isolated from Kashmir Himalaya Soil Are Rich Source of Antimicrobials and Industrially Important Biomolecules

Abstract

Studies on actinobacterial diversity are immensely important research arenas as they are the major root of antimicrobial, anticancer and immunosuppressant agents. Here we have performed a community analysis and isolated about 135 morphologically different actinobacteria using five different Actinomyces-specific media from an unique unexplored site of Kashmir Himalaya, India, in order to screen different bioactive compounds specially the antimicrobials. Among these actinobacteria, 42 isolates show antimicrobial activity against a set of pathogenic organisms. Secretion of different biomolecules of industrial significance were assessed which resulted 53 xylanase producers, 57 IAA producers, and 63 isolates produce gelatinase. Pectinase, phosphatase, lipase, amylase, and cellulase producing ability have been shown by about 41, 32, 102, 92, and 83 isolates, respectively. Analysis of their 16S rRNA sequence followed by phylogenetic analysis has depicted that most of the isolates belong to the genus of Streptomyces and rests are Streptosporangium, Lentzea, Gordonia, Amycolatopsis and Lechevalieria. We have also screened the presence of secondary metabolite production pathways by PCR amplifying the biosynthetic gene of polyketide synthase (PKS-I) and non ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) from the antibiotic producing strains. Antibiotic sensitivity profile of these isolates has also been studied. The potential antimicrobial compound producing strains have further been studied in order to find their efficacy to kill bacterial and fungal pathogens. Thus the study led to a promising field of antibiotic discovery and bioprospecting actinobacteria through their metabolites of industrial potential in near future.