SCREENING OF POTENTIAL BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS FROM OBLIGATE HALOPHILIC FUNGI, ISOLATED FROM A MAN-MADE SOLAR SALTERN LOCATED IN PHETCHABURI PROVINCE, THAILAND

Abstract

This is the continuation study of obligate halophilic fungi isolated from a man-made solar saltern located in Phetchaburi province, Thailand. The isolation site was hypersaline extreme habitat. Six halophilic fungi which were screened for applications belonged to 4 species and 5 strains of Aspergillus genus namely A. flavus, A. gracilis, A. penicillioides (2 strains) and A. restrictus. A yeast namely, Sterigmatomyces halophilus was also one of the isolate screened for biotechnological potentials. Antibacterial, antioxidant and enzymatic activity were determined for each of the strains. All of the isolates in this study were found to have at least one of the applications screened. A. flavus, A. gracilis and A. penicillioides (1) were found to have high antibacterial potential. A. flavus and A. penicillioides (2) showed the most antioxidant activity while A. gracilis and A. restrictus were found to be most promising candidates for enzymes (of the five enzymes tested) having activity under saline conditions.