PHYLOGENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF POTENTIAL BIOACTIVE METABOLITES PRODUCING ACTINOMYCETES FROM MANGROVE SEDIMENTS

An attempt has been made in the present study to isolate and identify actinomycetes, which can produce bioactive metabolites possessing antimicrobial activity. The soil samples were collected from mangrove sediments of Krishna district. Andhra Pradesh. The potent secondary metabolite producing strains were isolated and designated as VLK-15, VLK-24, and VLK-56. Identification of the strains was carried out basing on morphological, cultural, physiological and biochemical characters. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strains VLK-15, VLK-24, VLK-56 form distinct Glade within the genus Streptomyces. The 16S rRNA sequences were deposited in the GenBank database of NCBI under the accession numbers MG309759 (Streptomyces olivoverticillatus VLK-15), MG309760 (Strepto-myces rubrus VLK-24), and MF952650 (Streptomyces sampsonii-VLK-56). The antimicrobial activity of the strains was evaluated by using agar well diffusion assay. The ethyl acetate extracts were highly effective against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus. Bacillus megaterium followed by Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.