Isolation and characterization of moderately thermophilic aerobic cultivable bacteria from Hammam Righa Hot Spring (Algeria): Description of their hydrolytic capacities

Abstract: Microbial studies of hot-spring communities may provide a unique and wide-ranging source of novel microorganisms, containing a catalog of enzymes and other bioproducts of highly valuable interest for biotechnological developments and applications. Biodiversity in geothermal springs in Algeria appears scanty and has not been thoroughly investigated. In this country, geothermal springs are scattered in several areas. In the present study, thermophilic microorganisms were isolated from Hammam Righa hot spring and were studied for their ability to produce enzymes to be possibly used in biotechnological processes such as amylases, proteases, cellulases and xylanases. 14 bacterial aerobic strains were selected for this investigation and phenotypically characterized. The optimum temperature for growth of these isolates was 60 °C. 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis revealed them to be phylogenetically related to members of the genera Anoxybacillus, Geobacillus, Bacillus, Meiothermus, Tepidimonas, Albidovulum, and Hydrogenophilus. The presence of amylase, protease, cellulase and xylanase activities in these isolates are indicative of potential applications of them in biotechnological processes.