Cold-Active Enzymes Bioprospecting from Actinobacteria isolated from Beagle Channel, in South Extreme of Argentina

Abstract

The recent discovery of novel secondary metabolites of marine actinobacteria suggests that these bacteria populations add a main dimension to research about microbial natural products. Characterization of actinobacteria diversity and their marine environment adaptations, which affects secondary metabolite production, has taken great importance. Coastal areas are attractive to study because they are easily accessible and the water temperature ranges between 4 and 10 ºC, optimal conditions for cold-adapted microorganisms. The Beagle Channel (55º07´18" S 66º25´00" W) is located at the southern end of America and it is the international border between Argentina and Chile. This unexploited region has resulted in an increasing interest to study marine microorganisms able to produce different novel enzymes and metabolites. In this chapter we focuss in the bioprospection of cold-active enzymes produced by actinobacteria isolated from Beagle Channel, Ushuaia, Argentina. For this purpose, twenty-four isolates were selected based on their morphology in different culture media. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the isolates belonged to Actinobacteria class and Rhodococcus, Nocardioides, Microbacterium, Nocardia and Salinibacterium genera. Isolates were screened for α-L-rhamnosidase, xylanase, cellulose, β-glucosidase, amylase, lipase and protease activities at 4 and 20 ºC. These results have given evidence of the utility of these bacteria as a source of useful products for biotechnology.