Characterization of Planococcus dechangensis isolated from a water sample of Çamaltı Saltern

In the present study, strain MHDS3 was isolated from a water sample of Çamaltı Saltern and identified using conventional and molecular methods. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that the strain MHDS3 belonged to Planococcus dechangensis species. It gave a positive result in the Gram staining test. The cells were coccus, non-motile, aerobic, catalase positive, oxidase negative and the colony pigmentation was yellow-orange. It showed negative results for citrate utilization, indole production from tryptophane, Voges-Proskauer and methyl red. This isolate was able to grow at 10-45°C (optimally 35°C), pH 6-8 (optimally pH 7) and 3-20% NaCl (optimally 10% NaCl). It was not able to grow at 4°C, 10°C, 50°C, salt-free, 0.5%, 25%, %30 total salt, pH 4-5, and pH 9-12. Glucose, ribose, fructose, sucrose, maltose were used by the test isolate as carbon sources. Different amino acids found in the structure of animal hide such as L-lysine, L-arginine, L-cysteine, L-alanine, L-tyrosine, L-histidine were also utilized by the bacterium. During the salt production process, this bacterium may contaminate the salt which is used in the food and leather industries. The activities of harmful moderately halophilic bacteria should be prevented by effective antimicrobial applications.