Isolation and identification of mucinolytic actinomycetes

Biochemical and physiological tests, and 16S rRNA gene sequences, were used to classify nine Actinomycete strains isolated from soil and sand samples in Thailand. These strains were isolated based on their ability to readily degrade mucin glycoproteins. A turbidometric based mucinolytic assay was developed to confirm this. In addition all strains showed significant production of proteases. Phylogenetic analysis of the strains revealed that from the nine isolated Actinomycete strains eight were closely related to Streptomyces species and one was identified as belonging to the genus Kitasatospora. The biochemical and physiological tests performed identified two strain pairs that were similar (with only 3.9% difference observed) and this was in accordance with the phylogenetic results obtained. The remaining strains were distinct from each other, with the soil-isolated strains forming a separate clade to the sand-isolated strains in the inferred phylogenetic trees. The isolated mucinolytic Actinomycete strains will be the subject of further investigations into their proteolytic and glycosidic activity. Mucin degrading enzymes such as these are studied for their potential to be used for the development of a drug delivery system.