Diversity of Thermophilic Bacteria Isolated from Hot Springs

Abstract

This research aims to study the diversity of thermophilic bacteria of three hot springs in southern Thailand. Total bacteria number in Tanoh Maroh, Kaochaison and Ban Natungpo hot spring were 30, 3.6x10⁵ and 1.45x10⁵ CFU/ml, respectively. The 13 isolates were put into 6 groups according to their distinct restriction cutting profiles of 16S rRNA gene obtained from employing PCR-RFLP technique using restriction enzyme HinfI. The 6 groups were named group a, b, c, d, e and f, and analysis of their partial 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that group a (isolate YTM2) had 97% similarity with Thermus brockianus, group b (isolate YTM4) is related to members of the genera Bacillus and Geobacillus, group c (isolate YTMS) is related to G thermoleovorans (98%), group d (isolate KSII_1) is related to B. subtilis (99%), group e (isolate Kao_P2) is related to Caldimonas manganoxidans (99%) and group f (isolate Kao_P4) is related to Tepidimonas arfidensis (97%).