Isolation of a Moderately Halophilic and Amylolytic Bacterium from Saline Soil of a Salt Manufacturing Industry

Screening bacteria from wet saline soil collected from a salt manufacturing industry, Chennai led to the isolation of a total of 8 moderately halophilic bacteria. One strain, designated as MHA, an obligate and moderate halophile, capable of hydrolyzing soluble starch and tributyrin and another strain, MHX, capable of hydrolyzing xylan were isolated. MHA showed growth in a broad pH range of 6.5-11.0; temperatures in the range of 25-55 degrees C and NaCl from 1-25% (w/v) and failed to grow in absence of NaCl indicating its obligate halophilic nature. It produced 0.150 U/ml of amylase when grown in presence of 1% soluble starch and 10% NaCl. Activity staining of the extracellular acetone precipitated protein fraction on native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) indicated the secretion of multiple amylases by the strain MHA.