Abstract

Moderate halophilic bacteria from Dowma al Jandal in extreme north Al Jouf were isolated using cultural-dependent methods. Halophiles from hypersaline environments possess a biotechnological potential. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 16s rRNA gene and phylogentic analysis were used to identify strains. Culturing was done aerobically in chemically defined media (CDM). Salt concentration (15%) was used at pH 7.2. Universal bacterial primers were used to amplify 16SrDNA from chromosomal DNA isolated from the four distinct colonies. Four moderate halophilic bacterial isolates were analyzed and identified wih 16srDNA sequencing as Virgibacillus salarius, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus sp., and Virgibacillus marismortui. Comparison of the 16srDNA sequence alignment to reference sequence data bases showed samples M1, M2, M3 and M4 have 95-99% homology. All of the four isolates had at least 95% similarity to the published sequences implying that they could be species within the described genera.

Key words: Moderate halophiles, hypersaline lake, Bacillus sp., 16srDNA sequencing.