ISOLATION OF THERMOPHILIC SULFOBACILLUS THERMOSULFIDOOXIDANS FROM SARCHESHMEH COPPER MINE IN KERMAN, IRAN

Background and Aim:Thermophilic bacteria produce important industrial enzymes but there is not sufficient information about this group. Accordingly, in this research, modified heat stable solid and liquid media were used for isolation and purification of thermophilic bacteria from copper mine.Methods:Thermophilic bacteria were isolated from Sarcheshmeh Copper mine in Kerman, Iran. Different identification tests were performed as biochemical and molecular methods. The 16S rDNA sequence of the isolate was compared with databases in GenBank using the program BLASTN by selecting the optimization parameter to highly similar sequences (Megablast). The evolutionary relationships of this isolate with standard ones were studied by phylogenetic tree.Results:Isolated bacterium was non-motile Gram positive bacillus. It was observed individually, in pairs or short chains in microscopic examination. Grown colonies were yellow turning to reddish brown on modified solid medium containing Fe2+. It was thermophilic with a growth temperature up to 60oC and acidophilic with pH range of 1.5-5.5. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences alignment revealed the highest similarity between isolated strain with other standard species of the genus Sulfobacillus.Conclusion:Modified Solid and liquid media (Data not shown) were used. Out of the total isolates obtained from the Sarcheshme copper mine, one isolate was found to sustain temprature up to 60oC. The ability of the bacterium to grow in this state revealed to be thermophile. This mixotroph and chemothroph bacterium was identified by molecular test as Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. This strain like other thermophilic bacteria may have the ability to be used for bioleaching and production of thermostable enzymes.

Keywords:

Thermophilic bacteria , Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans , Sarcheshmeh Copper mine , 16SrRNA , Phylogenetic tree