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Chromogenicity of aerobic spore-forming bacteria of the Bacillaceae family isolated from different ecological niches and physiographic zones

  • Environmental Microbiology - Research Paper
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Abstract

To determine the distribution patterns of pigmented bacteria of the Bacilaceae family in different physiographic zones and ecological niches, we recovered 787 isolates from 185 environmental samples (including the areas with radiation pollution). Among the strains obtained, 149 pigmented representatives were detected, which synthesized intracellular and extracellular pigments of yellow, red, pink, and dark colors. In compliance with physiological, biochemical, and chemotaxonomic features, the isolates were identified as 7 species of the Bacilaceae family. We demonstrated that the ability to synthesize pigments significantly depended on the culture medium composition. According to the color of the colonies, the absorption spectra of pigment extracts, their physicochemical properties, and the implementation of several qualitative tests, the pigmented isolates were divided into ten groups. The relative number of pigmented strains in the physiographic zone was consistent with the total level of solar radiation for the year. Most pigmented members of the Bacillaceae family were recovered from deserts and semi-deserts, and fewest of them originated from mixed forests. We show that among the studied ecological niches, pigmented strains were most often isolated from the phyllosphere and aquatic environment and least often from soils. However, the isolates from soils and aquatic environments exhibited a greater diversity of pigmentation, and a lesser variety of colored strains was obtained from the phyllosphere and the gastrointestinal tract of animals. We established that the quantitative and qualitative composition of pigmented isolates from the areas with radiation contamination differed significantly from those coming from the natural radiation background.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Livinska Olena, Hudkov Dmytro, Tashyrev Olexandr, Zhezherya Vladyslav, and Petruk Tetiana for their help in the sample collection process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Antibiotics, D.K. Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the NASU, Kyiv, Ukraine

    M. Kharkhota, H. Hrabova, M. Kharchuk, L. Mozhaieva & L. Avdieieva

  2. Laboratory of Biological Polymer Compounds, D.K. Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the NASU, Kyiv, Ukraine

    M. Kharkhota, M. Kharchuk & A. Poliakova

  3. Department of Microbiology, Virology, and Biotechnology, Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University, Odesa, Ukraine

    T. Ivanytsia

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  1. M. Kharkhota
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  2. H. Hrabova
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  4. T. Ivanytsia
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  5. L. Mozhaieva
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the final manuscript. Kharkhota Maksym developed the general idea of research, conducted the screening of pigmented isolates, and participated in the article writing. Hrabova Hanna executed the primary identification of dark, yellow, and red pigments. Kharchuk Maksym performed the primary identification of fluorescent pigments and participated in article writing and formatting. Ivanytsia Tetiana identified the isolates using the MIDI Sherlock system.

Mozhaieva Larysa isolated the strains of aerobic spore-forming microorganisms from the environmental samples. Poliakova Alina verified the isolates for purity, conducted the studies of their physiological and biochemical characteristics, and participated in the article formatting. Avdieieva Liliia performed the general research management and assisted in identifying the patterns and formulating conclusions.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Poliakova.

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This study involved fecal sampling from animals, namely, chickens, pigs, and cattle. The study protocol was assessed and approved by the Bioethics Commission of D.K. Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the NAS of Ukraine (Record No. 67). The owners of the animals provided their verbal informed consent for animal sampling by veterinarians. The collection of fecal samples was carried out adhering to the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (Strasbourg, 1986).

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Kharkhota, M., Hrabova, H., Kharchuk, M. et al. Chromogenicity of aerobic spore-forming bacteria of the Bacillaceae family isolated from different ecological niches and physiographic zones. Braz J Microbiol 53, 1395–1408 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-022-00755-9

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