TITLE:
Actinomycetes from Soil of Lachung, a Pristine High Altitude Region of Sikkim Himalaya, Their Antimicrobial Potentiality and Production of Industrially Important Enzymes
AUTHORS:
Laishram Shantikumar Singh, Hemant Sharma, Dinabandhu Sahoo
KEYWORDS:
Actinomycetes, Antimicrobial Activity, Extracellular Enzyme Production
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.9 No.8,
August
16,
2019
ABSTRACT: Investigations on actinomycetes are profoundly significant area of research since they form major resource for bioactive compounds, antimicrobials, anticancer agents, immunosuppressants, and biological control agents. A total of 59 actinomycetes were isolated from the soil sample collected from Domang, Lachung, North Sikkim, Sikkim, India. Out of the total isolates, 26 isolates with unique and distinct characteristic features were selected and analysed for antimicrobial activity as well as extracellular enzyme production. Out of 26 isolates, 17 (66%) isolates exhibited different level of growth inhibition against the test microorganism. 12 (47%) isolates showed antifungal activity and six (23%) isolates showed antibacterial activity. Most of the isolates showed antifungal activity. Isolate RCS260 was found to exhibit maximum growth inhibition (60%) against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides MTCC 8021. Isolate RCS252 showed maximum growth inhibition (67%) against Bacillus subtilis MTCC 441. Out of 26 isolates, 14 (54%) isolates exhibited chitinase activity, 25 (96%) isolates showed cellulase production, 20 (77%) isolates produced amylase enzyme and 17 (65%) isolates showed positive for protease activity. Potential isolate RCS260 has been characterized and identified as Streptomyces vinaceus strain RCS260 while isolate RCS252 was identified as Kitasatospora aburavienis strain RCS252. The antagonistic profile of strain RCS260 highlights its potential as antifungal agent against phytopathogens.