Antimicrobial potentiality of a halophilic strain of Streptomyces sp. VPTSA18 isolated from the saltpan environment of Vedaranyam, India

A total of 68 morphologically different actinomycetes were isolated from the saltpan soils of Vedaranyam, Tamilnadu, India and tested for their antimicrobial activity by the cross-streak method. Among the strains tested, VPTSA18 showed strong antimicrobial activity. The culture filtrate was extracted with different solvents and tested against 11 bacterial and two fungal pathogens using the well-diffusion method. Of the solvent extracts assessed, the ethyl acetate extract showed high antimicrobial activity against all of the pathogens tested. Based on morphological, physiological, biochemical, cultural, chemo–taxonomical and molecular characteristics (16S rDNA sequencing), this strain was identified as Streptomyces sp. VPTSA18.