Identification and Characterization of Novel Thermophilic Bacteria from Hot Springs, Erzurum, Turkey

The aim of present study was the isolation and characterization of thermophilic bacteria from three different hot springs in Erzurum, Turkey. For this purpose, 85 bacteria were isolated and characterized by ERIC-PCR genomic fingerprinting and classical identification methods such as morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. According to the results, 29 bacterial isolates with different band profiles were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and identified as belonging to the genus of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Silanimonas, Thermomonas and Thauera. This is the first report on the isolation of Silanimonas lenta, Thauera sp. and Thermomonas haemolytica from Turkey Hot Springs. The amylase, lipase and protease enzyme production potentials of the isolates were 80%, 91.25% and 81.25%, respectively. Moreover, 56.47% of the isolates (48) were able to produce all of these enzymes. Therefore, the results of the study indicated that these bacteria and their enzymes can be used as a source of industrial enzymes.