Diversity and antimicrobial activity of the tropical ant-derived actinomycetes isolated from Thailand

Tuangrat Tunvongvinis; Weeyawat Jaitrong; Yudthana Samung; Somboon Tanasupawat; Wongsakorn Phongsopitanun; Tuangrat Tunvongvinis; Weeyawat Jaitrong; Yudthana Samung; Somboon Tanasupawat; Wongsakorn Phongsopitanun

doi:10.3934/microbiol.2024005

AIMS Microbiology

2024, Volume 10, Issue 1: 68-82. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2024005

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Research article

Diversity and antimicrobial activity of the tropical ant-derived actinomycetes isolated from Thailand

1.
Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
2.
Office of Natural Science Research, National Science Museum, 39, Moo 3, Khlong 5, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
3.
Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
4.
Natural Products and Nanoparticles Research Units (NP2), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Received: 02 November 2023 Revised: 30 December 2023 Accepted: 15 January 2024 Published: 22 January 2024

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most important global healthcare challenges and is responsible for the mortality of millions of people worldwide every year. It is a crisis attributed to misuse of antibiotics and a lack of new drug development. Actinomycetes constitute a group of Gram-positive bacteria known for their distinctive high guanine-cytosine (G+C) content in their genomic DNA. These microorganisms are widely recognized for their capability to generate a wide range of secondary metabolites with diverse biological activities. These versatile microorganisms are ubiquitous in diverse ecosystems, including soil, freshwater, marine sediments, and within the bodies of insects. A recent study has demonstrated that social insects, such as ants, host a diverse array of these bacteria. In this study, we involved the isolation and characterization of a total of 72 actinomycete strains obtained from 18 distinct ant species collected from various regions across Thailand. Utilizing 16S rRNA gene analysis, these isolated actinomycetes were classified into four distinct genera: Amycolatopsis (2 isolates), Micromonospora (1 isolate), Nocardia (8 isolates), and Streptomyces (61 isolates). Among the Streptomyces strains, 23 isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against a panel of Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Kocuria rhizophila ATCC 9341, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) DMST 20646. Additionally, two isolates displayed antifungal activity against Candida albicans TISTR 5554. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity studies, these two isolates, ODS25 and ODS28, were demonstrated to be closely related to Streptomyces lusitanus NBRC 13464^T (98.07%) and Streptomyces haliclonae DSM 41970^T (97.28%), respectively. The level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity below 98.65% cutoff indicates its potential as a novel actinomycete species. These findings underscore the potential of actinomycetes sourced from ants as a valuable reservoir of novel antimicrobials.
- Actinomycetes,
- antimicrobial activity,
- social insect,
- ants
Citation: Tuangrat Tunvongvinis, Weeyawat Jaitrong, Yudthana Samung, Somboon Tanasupawat, Wongsakorn Phongsopitanun. Diversity and antimicrobial activity of the tropical ant-derived actinomycetes isolated from Thailand[J]. AIMS Microbiology, 2024, 10(1): 68-82. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2024005

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Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most important global healthcare challenges and is responsible for the mortality of millions of people worldwide every year. It is a crisis attributed to misuse of antibiotics and a lack of new drug development. Actinomycetes constitute a group of Gram-positive bacteria known for their distinctive high guanine-cytosine (G+C) content in their genomic DNA. These microorganisms are widely recognized for their capability to generate a wide range of secondary metabolites with diverse biological activities. These versatile microorganisms are ubiquitous in diverse ecosystems, including soil, freshwater, marine sediments, and within the bodies of insects. A recent study has demonstrated that social insects, such as ants, host a diverse array of these bacteria. In this study, we involved the isolation and characterization of a total of 72 actinomycete strains obtained from 18 distinct ant species collected from various regions across Thailand. Utilizing 16S rRNA gene analysis, these isolated actinomycetes were classified into four distinct genera: Amycolatopsis (2 isolates), Micromonospora (1 isolate), Nocardia (8 isolates), and Streptomyces (61 isolates). Among the Streptomyces strains, 23 isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against a panel of Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Kocuria rhizophila ATCC 9341, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) DMST 20646. Additionally, two isolates displayed antifungal activity against Candida albicans TISTR 5554. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity studies, these two isolates, ODS25 and ODS28, were demonstrated to be closely related to Streptomyces lusitanus NBRC 13464^T (98.07%) and Streptomyces haliclonae DSM 41970^T (97.28%), respectively. The level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity below 98.65% cutoff indicates its potential as a novel actinomycete species. These findings underscore the potential of actinomycetes sourced from ants as a valuable reservoir of novel antimicrobials.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the 90^th Anniversary of Chulalongkorn University Scholarship under the Ratchadaphisek, Somphot Fund. We thank the 100^th Anniversary Chulalongkorn University Fund for Doctoral Scholarship, Graduated School, Chulalongkorn University to TT and the Pharmaceutical Research Instrument Center, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, for providing research facilities.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Author contributions:

TT performed screening, isolation, genotypic and phenotypic characterization, identification, and manuscript writing. WJ and YS collected and identified the ant samples. ST and WP conducted and advised all experiments.

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