Identification of thermophilic and marine bacilli from shallow thermal vents by restriction analysis of their amplified 16S rDNA

Aims: In order to identify 73 thermophilic isolates from shallow, marine thermal vents of Eolian Islands, we compared their restriction patterns of amplified 16S rDNA with those of nine well described Bacillus species and eight Eolian Bacillus strains. Methods and Results: This study allowed to assign 57 (78%) isolates to different Bacillus species. Nineteen field strains were recognised as representatives of four described species, namely B. thermodenitrificans, B. caldolyticus, B. vulcani and B. stearothermophilus. The profiles of 38 isolates matched instead, those of seven Eolian strains (B. thermodenitrificans strain A2, B. licheniformis strain B3-15, and five novel species, represented by Bacillus strain lbw, Bacillus strain 4-1, Bacillus strain 5-2, Bacillus strain 10-1, Bacillus strain las). Among the 16 unidentified isolates, seven restriction patterns were recognised. Conclusions: This study showed that restriction analysis of amplified 16S rDNA is useful for a rapid and reliable identification of strains belonging to described species as well as for recognition of new species. Significance and Impact of the Study: This work revealed a high taxonomic diversity among the thermophilic bacilli isolated from Eolian Islands and a distinct distribution of the species within the Eolian hydrothermal vent system.