Isolation and Identification of Soil Bacteria from Extreme Environments of Chile and Their Plant Beneficial Characteristics

Abstract

The isolation of soil bacteria from extreme environments represents a major challenge, but also an opportunity to characterize the metabolic potential of soil bacteria that could promote the growth of plants inhabiting these harsh conditions. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify bacteria from two Chilean desert environments and characterize the beneficial traits for plants through a biochemical approach. By means of different culture strategies, we obtained 39 bacterial soil isolates from the Coppermine Peninsula (Antarctica) and 32 from Lejía Lake shore soil (Atacama Desert). The results obtained from the taxonomic classification and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the isolates belonged to four phyla (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes), and that the most represented genus at both sites was Pseudomonas. Regarding biochemical characterization, all strains displayed in vitro PGP capabilities, but these were in different proportions that grouped them according to their site of origin. This study contributes with microbial isolates from natural extreme environments with biotechnological potentials in improving plant growth under cold stress.

Potential Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Isolated from a Novel Niche Exhibits Broad Range Antibacterial Activity and Causes Virulence and Metabolic Dysregulation in Enterotoxic E. coli

“…This hardy behaviour may help this bacterial strain to cross the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) fluid barrier and establish itself in the gut. More recently, studies have shown that extreme environment regions, such as deserts and deep oceans, may provide an additional evolutionary benefit to the resident bacteria for survival within the host as well as host adaptation to the environment [ 21 , 22 ]. Therefore, isolation of probiotic bacteria from such niches may allow identification of more robust strains for animal and human supplementation.…”

Low-density polyethylene microplastics alter chemical properties and microbial communities in agricultural soil

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Identification of culturable bacteria associated with the rhizosphere of Lablab purpureus growing in Namibia

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