Isolation and Characterization of three Fucoidan-Degrading Microorganisms from Gastropod, F. oregonensis

Abstract

Bacteria isolated from five gastropods, F. oregonenesis, N. cumingi, N. constricta, C. fulmen, V. emphaticus from June to December 2010 were studied to find out the bacterial assemblages associated with local gastropod collected in Uljin waters, the East Korea Sea. Of them, to isolate enzymes that degrade fucoidan, we first screened bacteria for their ability to utilize fucoidan, and isolated three strains from only F. oregonensis. The 16S rDNA sequence analyss of three strains revealed a marked sequence similarity to of Flavobacterium sp., Pseudoclavibacter halvolus, and Vibrio lentus. Flavobacterium sp. have been reported as fucoidan-degrading bacteria previously, but not Pseudoclavibacter halvolus and Vibrio lentus. It is the first definite report of bacteria strains that can utilize the fucoidans form gastropod host.