sp. nov., a phototrophic bacterium.

An oval- to rod-shaped, motile, Gram-stain-negative, oxidase-positive, catalase-negative, pink-coloured phototrophic bacterium (designated as strain JA968) was isolated from an estuary near Pata, Gujarat, India. Cells had an intracytoplasmic membrane architecture as lamellae and divided by budding. Strain JA968 had bacteriochlorophyll- and spirilloxanthin series carotenoids as photosynthetic pigments.

Diversity and bioprospective potential (cold-active enzymes) of cultivable marine bacteria from the subarctic glacial Fjord, Kongsfjorden.

The diversity and abundance of culturable bacteria in Kongsfjorden water (15 stations) and sediments (12 stations) were studied. Viable numbers ranged between 105–106 CFU l−1 in water and 102–104 CFU g−1 in the sediments. A total of 291 and 43 bacterial isolates were retrieved from the water (KJF) and sediments (FS), respectively.

Diversity of chemotactic heterotrophic bacteria associated with arctic cyanobacteria.

The abundance and diversity of chemotactic heterotrophic bacteria associated with Arctic cyanobacteria was determined. The viable numbers ranged between 10(4) and 10(6) cell g(-1) cyanobacterial biomass. A total of 112 morphotypes, representing 22 phylotypes based on their 16S rRNA sequence similarity were isolated from the samples.

Arcticibacter svalbardensis gen. nov., sp. nov., of the family Sphingobacteriaceae in the phylum Bacteroidetes, isolated from Arctic soil.

In the course of a study aimed at isolating bacteria from Arctic soils by a method that selectively enriches for rare bioactive actinomycetes, a Gram-stain-negative, pigmented, non-motile rod, designated MN12-7(T), was isolated. The salmon-pink strain was, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, found to be affiliated with the family Sphingobacteriaceae. Strain MN12-7(T) was catalase-, oxidase- and cellulase-positive and lacked gelatinase, urease, lipase and pectinase.

Antagonistic interaction networks among bacteria from a cold soil environment.

Microbial antagonism in an Arctic soil habitat was demonstrated by assessing the inhibitory interactions between bacterial isolates from the same location. Of 139 isolates obtained from five soil samples, 20 antagonists belonging to the genera, Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas and Flavobacterium were identified. Inter-genus, inter-species and inter-strain antagonism was observed between the interacting members.

Bacterial diversity and bioprospecting for cold-active enzymes from culturable bacteria associated with sediment from a melt water stream of Midtre Lovenbreen glacier, an Arctic glacier.

Culturable bacterial diversity of Midtre Lovenbreen glacier, an Arctic glacier, was studied using 12 sediment samples collected from different points, along a transect, from the snout of Midtre Lovenbreen glacier up to the convergence point of the melt water stream with the sea. Bacterial abundance appeared to be closer to the convergence point of the glacial melt water stream with the sea than at the snout of the glacier. A total of 117 bacterial strains were isolated from the sediment samples.