Background: Chromobacterium violaceum is a free-living bacterium able to survive under diverse environmental conditions. In this study we evaluate the genetic and physiological diversity of Chromobacterium sp. isolates from three Brazilian ecosystems: Brazilian Savannah (Cerrado), Atlantic Rain Forest and Amazon Rain Forest. We have analyzed the diversity with molecular approaches (16S rRNA gene sequences and amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis) and phenotypic surveys of antibiotic resistance and biochemistry profiles.

Bacteria account for a major proportion of Earth's biological diversity. They play essential roles in quite diverse environments and there has been an increasing interest in bacterial biodiversity. Research using novel and efficient tools to identify and characterize bacterial communities has been the key for elucidating biological activities with potential for industrial application. The current approach used for defining bacterial species is based on phenotypic and genomic properties. Traditional and novel DNA-based molecular methods are improving our knowledge of bacterial diversity in nature. Advances in molecular biology have been important for studies of diversity, considerably improving our knowledge of morphological, physiological, and ecological features of bacterial taxa. DNA-DNA hybridization, which has been used for many years, is still considered the golden standard for bacteria species identification. PCR-based methods investigating 16S rRNA gene sequences, and other approaches, such as the metagenome, have been used to study the physiology and diversity of bacteria and to identify novel genes with potential pharmaceutical and other biotechnological applications. We examined the advantages and limitations of molecular methods currently used to analyze bacterial diversity; these are mainly based on the 16S rRNA gene. These methods have allowed us to examine microorganisms that cannot be cultivated by routine methods and have also been useful for phylogenetic studies. We also considered the importance of improvements in microbe culture techniques and how we can combine different methods to allow a more appropriate assessment of bacterial diversity and to determine their real potential for industrial applications.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the resistance to ten antimicrobial agents and the presence of bla ( TEM1 ) gene of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from three natural oligotrophic lakes with varying degrees of anthropogenic influence. A total of 272 indigenous bacteria were recovered on eosin methylene blue medium; they were characterized for antimicrobial resistance and identified taxonomically by homology search and phylogenetic comparisons. Based on 16S ribosomal RNA sequences analysis, 97% of the isolates were found to be Gram-negative bacteria; they belonged to 11 different genera. Members of the genera Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, and Pseudomonas predominated. Most of the bacteria were resistant to at least one antimicrobial. The incidence of resistance to beta-lactams, chloramphenicol, and mercury was high, whereas resistance to tetracycline, aminoglycosides, and nalidixic acid was low. There was a great frequency of multiple resistances among the isolates from the three lakes, although no significant differences were found among the disturbed and reference lakes. The ampicillin resistance mechanism of 71% of the isolates was due to the gene bla ( TEM1 ). Our study suggests that multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria and the bla ( TEM1 ) gene are common in freshwater oligotrophic lakes, which are subject to different levels of anthropogenic inputs.

Background: Molecular studies of Bacillus diversity in various environments have been reported. However, there have been few investigations concerning Bacillus in steel plant environments. In this study, genotypic and phenotypic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among 40 bacterial isolates recovered from steel plant waste were investigated using classical and molecular methods.

Aims:  Forty‐nine bacteria isolated from four newly‐produced waste samples of a steel industry, which had a high content of CaO, MgO, Cr and P2O5, were characterized molecularly and phenotypically by susceptibility testing against heavy metals. Methods and Results:  Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolates belonged to nine genera, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Dietzia, Kocuria, Diaphorobacter, Staphylococcus and Brevibacillus. Besides, some isolates could be affiliated to species: M. luteus, Ac. junii, Ac. schindleri, B. cereus, K. marina, D. nitroreducens and Staph. warneri. The bacteria that were characterized are taxonomically diverse, and Pseudomonas and Micrococcus predominated. Fingerprinting BOX‐PCR revealed high genomic heterogeneity among the isolates. Among the heavy metal compounds Zn, Ni, Pb and Cu were least toxic to the bacterial isolates, whereas Ag inhibited all isolates at 0·001 mmol l−1. Conclusions:  Heterotrophic bacteria, affiliated with several phylogentic groups, were able to colonize different wastes of a steel industry. Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study extends our knowledge of the early colonizers bacteria populating siderurgic environments. Some of these bacteria could have potential for recycling siderurgic waste for steel production.