UV-Resistant Bacteria with Multiple-Stress Tolerance Isolated from Desert Areas in Iran

Abstract

The high UV radiation and scarcity of liquid water in desert areas make these regions among the most challenging environments for life. Here we studied the multitolerant microbial communities of deserts in Iran. Three bacterial strains were isolated and identified as Microbacterium phyllosphaerae MG3, Kocuria flava MG5 and Exiguobacterium acetylicum MG7. UV resistance and desiccation tolerance in MG7 and MG5 strains were comparable to multiresistant Deinococcus radiodurans. Also, resistance to mitomycin C and hydrogen peroxide in all isolated strains were significant. The strain MG3 showed moderate to poor salt tolerance but strains MG5 and MG7 showed high NaCl tolerance. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.