Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Sodium Azide Treated Mutant Streptomyces Strain

Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Sodium Azide Treated Mutant Streptomyces Strain

Keshav Bhattarai(1), Kiran Babu Tiwari(1, 2, 3*) and Vishwanath Prasad Agrawal(1)
1Department of Biochemistry, Universal Science College, Maitidevi, Kathmandu, Nepal
2Research Laboratory for Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Maitidevi, Kathmandu, Nepal
3Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
*Address of correspondence: Kiran Babu Tiwari, Research Laboratory for Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Maitidevi, Kathmandu, Nepal, email: babukiran@hotmail.com, Mob.: 9841374738

Abstract

A study was conducted to establish enhanced antibacterial activity, a Gain-of-Function (GOF) type of mutation, in Streptomyces strain exposed to sodium azide. The mutagenic concentrations of the azide were from 1.25–3.75mg%, beyond which the azide had lethal effect. The mutants (viz. S1, S2 and S3) and wild strain (S0) were screened for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtillis, B. thuringiensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsella pneumoniae and Proteus vulgaris. Marked increase in the antibacterial acivity was observed against B. subtillis. DNA polymorphisms were observed among the Streptomyces strains in a RAPD-PCR, which indicates mutagenic effect of sodium azide.

Keywords: Antibacterial activity, mutation, RAPD-PCR, sodium azide, Streptomyces spp.