Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from Jordanian Hot Springs:Bacillus licheniformisandThermomonas hydrothermalisIsolates as Potential Producers of Thermostable Enzymes

The aim of this study was the isolation and characterization of thermophilic bacteria from hot springs in Jordan. Ten isolates were characterized by morphological, microscopic, biochemical, molecular, and physiological characteristics. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA of the isolates followed by BLAST search revealed that nine strains could be identified asBacillus licheniformisand one isolate asThermomonas hydrothermalis. This is the first report on the isolation ofThermomonasspecies from Jordanian hot springs. The isolates showed an ability to produce some thermostable enzymes such as amylase, protease, cellulose, gelatins, and lecithin. Moreover, the UPGMA dendrogram of the enzymatic characteristics of the ten isolates was constructed; results indicated a high phenotypic diversity, which encourages future studies to explore further industrial and environmental applications.