Screening of Bacterial Isolates from Coal Mining Region in Chhattisgarh

Abstract

Microorganisms that can thrive under intense conditions have generated considerable interest in recent days on account of their exceptional physiology, nature, and essential industrial applications. This could be because of the special sequences that they possess in their DNA which can produce proteins with unrivalled biocatalytic properties. The present study aims at determining the microbial diversity of mine soil collected from Indian Coal Mines, South Eastern Coal Field Ltd (SECL), Korba district, Chhattisgarh. The soil samples were evaluated based on their color, texture and structure. Bacteria were isolated using iron salts-purified agar (ISP) media by serial dilution method and spread-plate method. The bacterial isolates were of yellow and brown colours. Microscopic observation revealed that the isolates were Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria. Bacteria were subjected to glucose test, lactose test, fructose test, triple sugar iron agar test, mannitol motility test, catalase test, oxidase test, citrate test, hydrogen sulphide test, phenylalanine deaminase test, indole test, methyl red test, and Voges–Proskauer test. Molecular assay of 16S rRNA sequencing revealed the isolate to be Enterobacter cloacae.