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Investigation of Halophilic Bacterial Diversity in Lake Urmia Using PCR-DGGE Technique
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Ramin Manaffar   , Fatemeh Geravandi |
| Urmia University, Faculty of Natural Resources, Department of Fisheries, Urmia, Iran |
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Abstract: (63 Views) |
Human life is intricately intertwined with microorganisms, many of which offer significant benefits to humanity. Halophilic bacteria are capable of producing enzymes that remain active under extreme conditions such as high salinity, elevated temperatures, and abnormal pH levels. These enzymes have valuable applications in the food, pharmaceutical, textile, detergent, and biotechnology industries. Therefore, identifying microorganisms that thrive in hypersaline environments like Lake Urmia—one of the saltiest lakes in the world—can facilitate the design of bioreactors operating under similar conditions. In this study, the diversity of halophilic bacteria in Lake Urmia was investigated using the PCR-DGGE technique. Water and salt samples were collected from six distinct regions of the lake. Bacteria present in the lake water were directly subjected to high-speed centrifugation for DNA extraction. The extracted DNA was then specifically amplified using a pair of universal primers in the PCR process. The resulting fragments were analyzed via DGGE electrophoresis. Bands obtained from the gel were extracted using a Roche kit, re-amplified by PCR, and subsequently sequenced. Nucleotide diversity was assessed using bioinformatics software, and comparison with gene bank databases enabled identification of bacterial genera and species. This study not only demonstrated the effectiveness of DGGE in assessing microbial diversity in extreme environments but also led to the identification of several novel halophilic bacterial taxa in Lake Urmia that had previously eluded conventional culturing methods. Notably, a new halophilic species, Deefgea rivuli, was identified in the lake—marking its first report in such a hypersaline ecosystem |
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| Keywords: Urmia Lake, Halophilic bacteria, Deefgea rivuli, PCR-DGGE. |
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Full-Text [PDF 1053 kb]
(48 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2025/10/3 | Accepted: 2025/10/3 | Published: 2025/10/2
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