Heavy-metal resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from Kongsfjord, Arctic.

Isolation and characterization of heterotrophic Gram-negative bacteria was carried out from the sediment and water samples collected from Kongsfjord, Arctic. In this study, the potential of Arctic bacteria to tolerate heavy metals that are of ecological significance to the Arctic (selenium (Se), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) was investigated. Quantitative assay of 130 isolates by means of plate diffusion and tube dilution methods was carried out by incorporation of different concentrations of metals.

Alkaline protease from a non-toxigenic mangrove isolate of Vibrio sp. V26 with potential application in animal cell culture.

Vibrio sp. V26 isolated from mangrove sediment showed 98 % similarity to 16S rRNA gene of Vibrio cholerae, V. mimicus, V.

An alkaline protease from Bacillus circulans BM15, newly isolated from a mangrove station: characterization and application in laundry detergent formulations.

An investigation on the properties of an alkaline protease secreted by Bacillus circulans BM15 strain isolated from a mangrove sediment sample was carried out in order to characterize the enzyme and to test its potency as a detergent additive. The protease was purified to apparent homogeneity by ammonium sulphate precipitation and was a 30-kDa protease as shown by SDS-PAGE and its proteolytic activity was detected by casein zymography. It had optimum activity at pH 7, was stable at alkaline pH range (7 to 11), had optimum temperature of activity 40°C and was stable up to a temperature of 55°C after incubation for one hour.