Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological Activity

The marine environment represents a largely untapped source for isolation of new microorganisms with potential to produce biologically active secondary metabolites. Among such microorganisms, Gram-positive actinomycete bacteria are of special interest, since they are known to produce chemically dive...

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Main Authors: Sergey B. Zotchev, Geir Johnsen, Espen Fjærvik, Harald Bredholt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2008-02-01
Series:Marine Drugs
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/6/1/12/
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author Sergey B. Zotchev
Geir Johnsen
Espen Fjærvik
Harald Bredholt
author_facet Sergey B. Zotchev
Geir Johnsen
Espen Fjærvik
Harald Bredholt
author_sort Sergey B. Zotchev
collection DOAJ
description The marine environment represents a largely untapped source for isolation of new microorganisms with potential to produce biologically active secondary metabolites. Among such microorganisms, Gram-positive actinomycete bacteria are of special interest, since they are known to produce chemically diverse compounds with a wide range of biological activities. We have set out to isolate and characterize actinomycete bacteria from the sediments in one of the largest Norwegian fjords, the Trondheim fjord, with respect to diversity and antibiotic-producing potential. Approximately 3,200 actinomycete bacteria were isolated using four different agar media from the sediment samples collected at different locations and depths (4.5 to 450 m). Grouping of the isolates first according to the morphology followed by characterization of isolates chosen as group representatives by molecular taxonomy revealed that Micromonospora was the dominating actinomycete genus isolated from the sediments. The deep water sediments contained a higher relative amount of Micromonospora compared to the shallow water samples. Nine percent of the isolates clearly required sea water for normal growth, suggesting that these strains represent obligate marine organisms. Extensive screening of the extracts from all collected isolates for antibacterial and antifungal activities revealed strong antibiotic-producing potential among them. The latter implies that actinomycetes from marine sediments in Norwegian fjords can be potential sources for the discovery of novel anti-infective agents.
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spelling doaj.art-a22b85dba9e04fa198e54f5fa0b59f662022-12-22T04:20:13ZengMDPI AGMarine Drugs1660-33972008-02-01611224Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological ActivitySergey B. ZotchevGeir JohnsenEspen FjærvikHarald BredholtThe marine environment represents a largely untapped source for isolation of new microorganisms with potential to produce biologically active secondary metabolites. Among such microorganisms, Gram-positive actinomycete bacteria are of special interest, since they are known to produce chemically diverse compounds with a wide range of biological activities. We have set out to isolate and characterize actinomycete bacteria from the sediments in one of the largest Norwegian fjords, the Trondheim fjord, with respect to diversity and antibiotic-producing potential. Approximately 3,200 actinomycete bacteria were isolated using four different agar media from the sediment samples collected at different locations and depths (4.5 to 450 m). Grouping of the isolates first according to the morphology followed by characterization of isolates chosen as group representatives by molecular taxonomy revealed that Micromonospora was the dominating actinomycete genus isolated from the sediments. The deep water sediments contained a higher relative amount of Micromonospora compared to the shallow water samples. Nine percent of the isolates clearly required sea water for normal growth, suggesting that these strains represent obligate marine organisms. Extensive screening of the extracts from all collected isolates for antibacterial and antifungal activities revealed strong antibiotic-producing potential among them. The latter implies that actinomycetes from marine sediments in Norwegian fjords can be potential sources for the discovery of novel anti-infective agents.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/6/1/12/Actinomycete bacteriafjord sedimentsmolecular taxonomyantimicrobial activities
spellingShingle Sergey B. Zotchev
Geir Johnsen
Espen Fjærvik
Harald Bredholt
Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological Activity
Marine Drugs
Actinomycete bacteria
fjord sediments
molecular taxonomy
antimicrobial activities
title Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological Activity
title_full Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological Activity
title_fullStr Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological Activity
title_full_unstemmed Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological Activity
title_short Actinomycetes from Sediments in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway: Diversity and Biological Activity
title_sort actinomycetes from sediments in the trondheim fjord norway diversity and biological activity
topic Actinomycete bacteria
fjord sediments
molecular taxonomy
antimicrobial activities
url http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/6/1/12/
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AT geirjohnsen actinomycetesfromsedimentsinthetrondheimfjordnorwaydiversityandbiologicalactivity
AT espenfjaƒarvik actinomycetesfromsedimentsinthetrondheimfjordnorwaydiversityandbiologicalactivity
AT haraldbredholt actinomycetesfromsedimentsinthetrondheimfjordnorwaydiversityandbiologicalactivity