STUDY OF MICROBIAL DIVERSITY IN ULVA LACTUCA FROM NORTH WEST COAST OF GUJARAT, INDIA

Seaweeds form economically important component of marine ecosystems worldwide. A wide range of beneficial and detrimental interactions exists between seaweeds and epiphytic as well as endophytic bacteria. Diversity study can be used to retrieve ecological information about community partner that relates the degree of stability of that community. The present work deals with the study the microbial diversity of Ulva lactuca. Epiphytic and endophytic bacteria were isolated from U. lactuca. Total of 4 bacterial isolates were obtained from this seaweed. Among them 2 (VP2 and VP4) were endophytic bacteria and 2 were epiphytic bacteria (VP6 and VP7).  Gram staining and biochemical tests for identification of micro-organisms were performed. On the basis of colony morphology and biochemical tests, VP2, VP4 and VP6 were identified as Enterobacter aerogenes, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. Out of 4, 1 isolate could not be identified on the basis of biochemical tests performed. Hence, molecular characterization was attempted by targeting 16S rDNA sequencing for the fourth isolate, VP7. The amplified product was identified as Salinicoccus sp. Further bioactive compounds can be obtained from this seaweed associated bacteria for industrial applications.