ISSN: 2320-3528 RRJMB| Volume 2 | Issue 1 | January – March, 2013 1 Research and Reviews: Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology A New Facultative Alkaliphilic, Potassium Solubilizing, Bacillus Sp. SVUNM9 Isolated from Mica Cores of Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Prasada Babu Gundala 1 *, Paramageetham Chinthala 1 and Basha Sreenivasulu 2 1 Department of Microbiology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati - 517 502. Andhra Pradesh, India 2 Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati - 517 502. Andhra Pradesh, India Article Received: 19/02/2013 Revised: 28/02/2013 Accepted: 02/03/2013 *For Correspondence Department of Microbiology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati - 517 502. Andhra Pradesh, India Keywords: Facultative, alkaliphile, Bacillus spSVUNM19, Mica core, 16S rRNA, Potassium solubilisation ABSTRACT A new facultative alkaliphilic Bacillus species isolated from mica mines of Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, India. This strain is gram positive, rod shaped, motile bacteria capable of growth in aerobic conditions up to pH 12.0 exhibiting optimum growth at pH 10.0. The strain is oxidative, catalase positive, urease positive, able to hydrolyse starch, gelatine, able to utilize lactose, D- glucose and sucrose and produce acids. It also converts nitrate into nitrite. Further, exhibited positive results for methyl red and Voges Proskauer reaction. The strain showed optimum growth at 0.5% NaCl and able to thrive even at higher concentration of sucrose. The 16S rDNA sequence showed 99% similarity with Bacillus sp19(HQ433576) and closest relative is Bacillus amyloliquifaciens (JN086147).The efficiency of this strain for potassium dissolution from insoluble mica was evaluated in vitro. Modified Alexandrov’s medium supplemented with 0.1% mica powder was used to investigate the potassium solubilising activity of the Bacillus spSVUNM9 strain. Final pH, total acidity, soluble K content and released organic acids were determined in culture media after 21days of incubation. The K content was increased to 2.5times greater than the control. Mineral potassium solubilisation was directly related to the pH drop by the strain. The analysis of the culture medium by high pressure liquid chromatography identified gluconic acid as the main organic acid released by Bacillus sp.SVUNM9.This study is the first report on the isolation and characterization of native potassium solubilising bacteria from mica ore. INTRODUCTION Alkaliphiles are a class of extremophilic microorganisms that exhibit the ability to grow at pH of 9.0 and above. The alkaliphiles have yielded a rich array of products, suitable for industrial scale [1] . The products of alkaliphiles which have industrial importance have been commercialized in the area of detergent and food industries. It is not worthy that industrial production of products from alkaliphiles is so far insufficient to meet the demands. True alkaliphiles by and large grow at and above pH of 9.0 and show optimal growth at pH of 10.0. Though considerable diversity exists among alkaliphiles but many more remain to be tapped from unexplored regions. Bioprospection for novel alkaliphiles from unexplored habitats for specific products have suitability for broad technological plant forms which can provide environment friendly and cost-effective solutions. The present study aims to isolate and characterize alkaliphilic bacterium with Potassium soluilizing property from Mica cores. Mica is a complex mineral classified as an Alumino-silicate but occurring in combination with one or more elements like potassium, sodium, magnesium, lithium, vanadium and iron. In Andhra Pradesh rich deposit of mica are available in the Nellore District. The mica belt lying between latitudes 14 0 -00 1 and 15 0 -00 1 and longitudes 79 0 -35 1 and 80 0 -00 1 . The chemical properties of Nellore Mica were listed in Table-1.