A new bacterial strain of Antarctica, Alteromonas sp. that produces a heteropolymer slime

Abstract

A bacterial strain NF3 was isolated from a sludge sample from Inlet Admiralty Bay (Antarctica) and has been identified as belonging to the genus Alteromonas. The isolate was a Gram-negative rod with a single polar flagellum arrangement. The strain was catalase and oxidase positive and capable of gelatin hydrolysis. The G + C content was 42 mol%. The fatty acid composition and the protein profile has confirmed its identification as Alteromonas sp. During cell growth, the strain produced an exopolymer composed of 76–86% protein and 8–14% sugars depending on the medium used