Diversity, Bioactivity and Drug Development of Cultivable Actinobacteria in Six Species of Bird Feces

Abstract

In order to provide new lead compounds of drugs and other useful products, the diversity and some bioactivities of cultivable actinobacteria in bird feces were studied．Six species of bird fecal samples were collected from Yunnan Wild Animal Park and bank of Dian Lake. The pure cultures of actinobacteria were isolated from these samples by using 6 different media. The partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of 207 selected strains were determined, the phylogenetic analysis was carried out, and antimicrobial activities were determined by using agar diffusion method. The key biosynthase genes (CYP, AHBA and SAL) of antibiotics were also detected. Total 28 genera of actinobacteria from all the samples were identified. 18 genera were identified from Pavo cristatus feces, and the actinomycete community was the most complex. These actinobacteria had wide inhibition against 10 test microbes. In 30, 25, and 36 strains of actinobacteria isolated from Pavo cristatus, Grus japonensis and Larus ridibundus feces respectively, average 22.2%, 8.9% and 40.8% strains had the key biosynthase genes encoding CYP, AHBA and SAL. More than 30 bioactive secondary metabolites from several actinomycete strains of bird feces were isolated and characterized. The study shows that birds fecal actinobacteria are a new potential source for discovering new drugs and other industry products.