Actinomycetes in the Bottom Sediments of Lake Khara-Us-Nuur in Mongolia

The abundance of terrestrial actinomycetes and their role in biological processes are well documented in a number of reviews. However, studies of actinomycetes inhabiting lacustrine and marine environments are limited. However, lacustrine and marine environments may represent a virtually untapped source for isolating new microorganisms with properties — often highly sought-after — that differ from known and well-studied actinomycetes isolated from terrestrial sources. The aim of this study was to isolate actinomycetes from the bottom sediments of Lake Khara-Us-Nuur and identify isolates with high activity and potential for biotechnology. Actinomycetes of the Streptomyces and Micromonospora genera were isolated from the bottom sediments of Lake Khara-Us-Nuur, demonstrating antagonistic activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Aspergillus niger.