| Purpose: Robust pharmaceutical and industrial enzymes from extremophile
microorganisms are main source of enzymes with tremendous stability under harsh
conditions which make them potential tools for commercial and biotechnological
applications.
Methods: The genome of a Gram-positive halo-thermotolerant Bacillus sp. SL1, new isolate
from Saline Lake, was investigated for the presence of genes coding for potentially
pharmaceutical enzymes. We determined gene sequences for the enzymes laccase (CotA), lasparaginase
(ansA3, ansA1), glutamate-specific endopeptidase (blaSE), l-arabinose
isomerase (araA2), endo-1,4-β mannosidase (gmuG), glutaminase (glsA), pectate lyase
(pelA), cellulase (bglC1), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ycbD) and allantoinases (pucH) in the
genome of Bacillus sp. SL1.
Results: Based on the DNA sequence alignment results, six of the studied enzymes of
Bacillus sp. SL-1 showed 100% similarity at the nucleotide level to the same genes of B.
licheniformis 14580 demonstrating extensive organizational relationship between these two
strains. Despite high similarities between the B. licheniformis and Bacillus sp. SL-1
genomes, there are minor differences in the sequences of some enzyme. Approximately
30% of the enzyme sequences revealed more than 99% identity with some variations in
nucleotides leading to amino acid substitution in protein sequences.
Conclusion: Molecular characterization of this new isolate provides useful information
regarding evolutionary relationship between B. subtilis and B. licheniformis species. Since,
the most industrial processes are often performed in harsh conditions, enzymes from such
halo-thermotolerant bacteria may provide economically and industrially appealing
biocatalysts to be used under specific physicochemical situations in medical,
pharmaceutical, chemical and other industries |