Characterization and Extracellular Enzyme Activity of Predominant Marine Bacillus spp. Isolated From Sea Water of Orissa Coast, India

Bacillus species are ubiquitous and diverse both in the terrestrial and marine ecosystems. In this investigation, predominant Bacillus species from sea water of three different sites of Orissa Coast were isolated and identified. In total, 16 Bacillus species were identified using morpho-physiological and biochemical characterisation. These identified bacterial strains include B. fastidiosus (CMB1), B. alvei (CMB2), B. coagulans (CMB3), B. marinus (CMB5), B. mycoides (CMB8), B. coagulans (PMB1), B. circulans (PMB2), B. cereus (PMB3), B. subtilis (PMB4), B. alcalophilus (GMB1), B. licheniformics (GMB2), B. polymyxa (GMB3) and B. pumilus (GMB4). The isolates CMB4, CMB6 and CMB7 were identified only up to genus level. These isolates were further screened for their salt tolerance and growth under varied temperature and pH conditions. Ability of these strains to produce extracellular enzymes such as protease, amylase, lipase, gelatinase, casein hydrolase, lecithinase, chitinase and pectinase were also screened and found that most of the Bacillus spp. possess extracellular enzymes.