Screening Different Desert Soils in Makkah Province to Detect Novel Antibiotics Producing Actinomycetes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to isolate, purify, and characterize actinomycetes from desert soil surrounding some plants scattered in Makkah Region using biochemical, morphological, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques, as well as to conduct a taxonomic study of species that show activity against some pathogens and to study the characteristics and properties of antibiotics extracted. Soil samples were collected from three locations in Saudi Arabia's Makkah region. They were brought to the lab and cultured for four days at 27° C using actinomistate isolation media. We obtained eight samples based on physiological, morphological, and 16S rRNA gene sequences: Streptomyces spiralis, Streptomyces spinoverrucosus, Streptomyces fimbriatus, Streptomyces carpinensis, Streptomyces geysiriensis, Streptomyces djakartensis, Streptomyces levis, and Streptomyces atacamensis. All isolates of Streptomyces demonstrated antibacterial efficacy against Streptococcus pneumonia, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and antifungal including Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. These isolates had antimicrobial efficacy and might be used to create novel antibiotics for medicinal or agricultural application.