Isolation, Characterization and Identification of Bacteria Live in Extreme Conditions: Example of Gilindire Cave

Abstract

Caves are extreme ecosystems that are too limited in nutrient with stable temperature, high humidity. Gilindire Cave, located in Mersin; Turkey, contains samples from Ice Age and is the only place known to represent evidence of the last climate changes in in the Eastern Mediterranean. Therefore, Gilindire Cave distinguishes itself from other caves in Turkey with its "representative" and "individual" features. In this study bacterial load of Gilindire Cave was investigated by using culture dependent and culture independent methods. Samples were cultured on R2A petri plates and distinct looking colonies were isolated. After isolation, 16S rRNA PCR analysis was performed. 58 isolates were obtained after cultivation experiments. However, further investigation was completed on 30 individual isolate due to elimination of isolates. Crystal formation was investigated with B-4 media and it was seen that 3 of the isolates was unable grow on this media while the rest 27 were able to grow successfully. Twenty of the isolates were chosen and send to analysis. Most abundant phyla included Actinobacteria (39%) followed by Proteobacteria (%33), Firmicutes (17%) and Bacteriodetes (5,5%) as well as uncultured organism (5,5%) was found, usable results could not be obtained from two of the isolates.