COMMUNITY ANALYSIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FUNGI FROM BATURA GLACIER, KARAKORAM MOUNTAIN RANGE, PAKISTAN

Karakoram mountain range contains the tallest mountain peaks of the world with thousands of glaciers which are microbiologically untapped. This is a pioneer approach of isolation and characterization of fungi from Batura glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan. Total number (CFU/mL or g) was determined at 4 degrees C and 15 degrees C to isolate psychrophilic and psychrotrophic fungi, respectively. About 33 different fungi were isolated from sediment (29), ice (2) and water (2) and were identified morphologically and by sequencing of specific internal transcribed spacer region of the species through internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) primers. Mostly, the fungal isolates belonged to genus Penicillium, followed by Cladosporium, Geomyces, Cordyceps, Mrakia, Cadophora, Tetracladium, Eupenicillium, Trametes, Mortierella, Scopulariopsis, Beauveria, Candida and Pseudogymnoascus. They showed growth at wide temperature range from 4-37 degrees C, few at 45 degrees C as well. Most of the isolates were able to grow at pH 1-13. Fungal isolates were able to grow in 2-26% NaCl, with the highest tolerance (26%) by Mrakia robertii. All study isolates showed inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus sp., and four industrially important enzymes (cellulase, DNase, lipase and phosphatase) were produced by Mrakia robertii. The fungal isolates of such cold habitats are potential sources of various industrial and environmental application.