BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR-GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF A STRAIN ISOLATED FROM A THERMAL HEALING SPRING IN STAROZAGORSKI MINERALNI BANI, STARA ZAGORA REGION, BULGARIA

Abstract

Mineral waters of springs near the village of Starozagorski Mineralni Bani, Stara Zagora region,  are  well  known  for  their  healing  effect  in  diseases  of  bones  and  joints,  peripheral  nervous system, gynecological, kidney and urological, gastro-intestinal and hepatic and biliary diseases. The physico-chemical   and   microbiological   parameters  of   healing   spring   water   in   the   village   of Starozagorski  Mineralni  Bani,  Stara  Zagora  region  were  determined.  According  to  its  physico-chemical and microbiological parameter, spring water meets the standard requirements for quality of drinking  water.  A  strain  was  isolated  from  the  examined  healing  spring  as  a  pure  culture  and  its colonial and morphological characteristics were examined. The isolated strain SMB was rod-shaped, Gram  -  positive,  motile,  sporeforming.  It  formed  a  precipitate  on  the  surface  of  the  liquid  culture
medium,  did  not  turbidify  the  liquid  culture  medium  and  formed  a  precipitate  on  the  bottom  of  the tube.  Strain  SMB  was  a  facultative  aerobe.  It  was  identified  by biochemical  (API  50  CHB)  and molecular  -  genetic  methods  (sequencing  of  the  gene  for  the  16S  rRNA)  as  a representative  of  the species  Bacillus  thuringiensis.  After  performing  further  examinations  of  its  antimicrobial  activity against  phytopathogenic  molds  strain  SMB  would  be incorporated  in  the  composition  of  biological preparations against plant diseases.