Diversity of endophytic bacterial communities in poplar grown under field conditions

Bacterial endophytes may be important for plant health and other ecologically relevant functions of poplar trees. The composition of endophytic bacteria colonizing the aerial parts of poplar was studied using a multiphasic approach. The terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 16S rRNA genes demonstrated the impact of different hybrid poplar clones on the endophytic community structure. Detailed analysis of endophytic bacteria using cultivation methods in combination with cloning of 16S rRNA genes amplified from plant tissue revealed a high phylogenetic diversity of endophytic bacteria with a total of 53 taxa at the genus level that included Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The community structure displayed clear differences in terms of the presence and relative proportions of bacterial taxa between the four poplar clones studied. The results showed that the genetic background of the hybrid poplar clones corresponded well with the endophytic community structure. Out of the 513 isolates and 209 clones identified, Actinobacteria, in particular the family Microbacteriaceae, made up the largest fraction of the isolates, whereas the clone library was dominated by Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria. The most abundant genera among the isolates were Pseudomonas and Curtobacterium, while Sphingomonas prevailed among the clones.     

废弃铅锌矿石和钨矿砂中可培养细菌多样性分析

为了了解废弃铅锌矿石和钨矿砂中可培养细菌的多样性,发掘其中的微生物新资源,采用3种培养基(R2A、无磷R2A、无磷R2A+Cd2+)分别对其中的可培养细菌进行分离纯化和培养。再通过16S rRNA基因测序获取相关的分类学信息,并进行系统进化分析。从2种材料中共分离到可培养细菌152株。其中,废弃铅锌矿石中的可培养细菌涵盖了5个门、7个分支,分属于Alphaproteobacteria、Betaproteobacteria、Gammaproteobacteria、Deinococcus-Thermus、Actinobacteria、Bacteroidetes和Firmicutes,以Massilia、Methylobacterium、Deinococcus和Sphingomonas为主要类群;而钨矿砂中的可培养细菌涵盖了3个门、4个分支,分属于Alphaproteobacteria、Betaproteobacteria、Actinobacteria和Firmicutes,以Methylobacterium、Massilia、Ralstonia和Microbacterium为主要类群。废弃铅锌矿石中可培养细菌的多样性和新分类单元发现率均大于钨矿砂,且两者的可培养细菌类群组成存在较大差异。此外,向培养基中添加重金属Cd2+降低了可培养细菌的多样性。研究分离到的Cd2+耐受菌株主要属于3个属：Methylobacterium、Herbaspirillum和Ralstonia,其能耐受2 mmol/L Cd2+,是金属尾矿中重金属耐受菌的优势种群。研究结果为金属尾矿中微生物新资源的深入发掘提供了依据。     

Diversity and structure of bacterial communities in Fildes Peninsula, King George Island

To examine the bacterial community structure in the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, we examined the bacterial diversity and community composition of samples collected from lacustrine sediment, marine sediment, penguin ornithogenic sediments, and soils using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. The 70 strains fell into five groups: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria, and Betaproteobacteria. Bacterial diversity at the phylum level detected in Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles comprised Proteobacteria (including the subphyla Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma-, Deltaproteobacteria), Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Chlorobi, and Deinococcus-Thermus. Gammaproteobacteria was identified to be the dominant bacterial subphylum by cultivation and DGGE method. By cluster analysis, the overall structure and composition of bacterial communities in the soil and lacustrine sediment were similar to one another but significantly different from bacterial communities in penguin ornithogenic sediment and marine sediment, which were similar to one another. The majority of 16S rDNA sequences from cultured bacteria were closely related to sequences found in cold environments. In contrast, a minority of 16S rDNA sequences from the DGGE approach were closely related to sequences found in cold environments.     

泥浸汁对太湖沉积物中的好氧可培养细菌多样性的影响

【目的】研究添加泥浸汁与否对太湖沉积物中可培养细菌的影响。【方法】采用R2A培养基和添加泥浸汁R2A培养基对沉积物中细菌进行分离培养,16S r RNA基因系统发育分析比较种群结构。【结果】培养基中添加泥浸汁,可使可培养细菌的种类数量增加到1.6倍。16S r RNA基因序列分析表明,培养的优势细菌类群存在明显差别。R2A培养基上生长的细菌主要为厚壁菌门(52%)、放线菌门(24%)、变形菌门(20%)和拟杆菌门(4%),其中大部分细菌与芽孢杆菌属、假单胞菌属、节杆菌属等关系密切;而添加泥浸汁的R2A培养基上生长的细菌则主要为变形菌门(40%)、放线菌门(35%)、厚壁菌门(22.5%)和拟杆菌门(2.5%),与鞘脂单胞菌属、芽孢杆菌属、副球菌属、节杆菌属等关系密切。【结论】添加泥浸汁原始营养因子可提高沉积物中可培养细菌的多样性,提高菌种可培养效率。     

Cultivation-independent and -dependent characterization of Bacteria resident beneath John Evans Glacier

Viable microorganisms are present in subglacial waters and sediment-laden ice beneath John Evans glacier in the Canadian high Arctic. The Bacterial communities resident in three subglacial samples were examined by amplifying 16S rRNA genes extracted from community DNA and from axenic isolates. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 341 clones produced 153 operational taxonomic units (OTUS), of which 25 dominant OTUS were sequenced. A subglacial water sample yielded Betaproteobacteria (25% of clones, particularly Comamonadaceae), Bacteroidetes (23%, particularly Flavobacterium) and Actinobacteria (14%). A second water sample had 51%Betaproteobacteria, 5%Bacteroidetes and no Actinobacteria, and a sediment sample was dominated by Betaproteobacteria (15%) and Bacteroidetes (38%). A collection of 158 morphologically distinct isolates was obtained on R2A agar using three incubation conditions: fully aerobic at 20 degrees C or 4 degrees C, or microaerobic at 20 degrees C. A total of 52 isolate OTUs were defined, comprising Bacteroidetes (predominantly Flavobacterium isolated at 4 degrees C), Betaproteobacteria (particularly Comamonadaceae), plus Actinobacteria and Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria not detected as clones. Otherwise, the clone library and isolate collection results were quite comparable and supported earlier molecular studies at this site. Although additional undescribed diversity likely exists in these samples, combining culture-based results with molecular analysis increased the observed bacterial diversity and confirmed previous observations at this glacier and others.     

Phylogenetic diversity of culturable bacteria from Antarctic sandy intertidal sediments

The diversity of culturable bacteria associated with sandy intertidal sediments from the coastal regions of the Chinese Antarctic Zhongshan Station on the Larsemann Hills (Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica) was investigated. A total of 65 aerobic heterotrophic bacterial strains were isolated at 4°C. Microscopy and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolates were dominated by Gram-negative bacteria, while only 16 Gram-positive strains were isolated. The bacterial isolates fell in five phylogenetic groups: Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Based on phylogenetic trees, all the 65 isolates were sorted into 29 main clusters, corresponding to at least 29 different genera. Based on sequence analysis (<98% sequence similarity), the Antarctic isolates belonged to at least 37 different bacterial species, and 14 of the 37 bacterial species (37.8%) represented potentially novel taxa. These results indicated a high culturable diversity within the bacterial community of the Antarctic sandy intertidal sediments.     

Investigation of total bacterial and ammonia-oxidizing bacterial community composition in a full-scale aerated submerged biofilm reactor for drinking water pretreatment in China

The community composition of total bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in a full-scale aerated submerged biofilm reactor for drinking water pretreatment was characterized by analysis of 16S rRNA gene and the functional gene amoA, respectively. Sampling was performed in February and in July. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries revealed 13 bacterial divisions. At both sampling dates, the majority of clone sequences were related to the Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria. A minor proportion belonged to the following groups: Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Nitrospira, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes and the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides group. Some sequences related to bacteria owning high potential metabolic capacities were detected in both samples, such as Rhodobacter-like rRNA gene sequences. Surveys of cloned amoA genes from the two biofilm samples revealed ammonia-oxidizing bacterial sequences affiliated with the Nitrosomonas oligotropha lineage, Nitrosomonas communis lineage. An unknown Nitrosomonas group of amoA gene sequences was also detected.     

美洲大蠊成虫肠道可培养细菌多样性研究

【目的】了解美洲大蠊成虫肠道可培养细菌的多样性。【方法】运用纯培养法、数值分类和16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育分析对样品中可培养细菌多样性进行研究。【结果】从NA培养基中分离得到54株细菌,根据形态观察和部分生理生化特性,选取32个代表性菌株进行16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育多样性分析。结果表明,数值分类中的代表菌株在82%相似水平上可分为12个表观群;这些分离菌株代表20个物种,属于4个大的系统发育类群(Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,Firmicutes,Actinobacteria)的10个科、15个属。多数菌株属于Proteobacteria门(15株,占46.9%)和Bacteroidetes门(10株,占31.3%)。【结论】美洲大蠊成虫肠道内存在较为丰富的细菌多样性。     

The filtration-acclimatization method for isolation of an important fraction of the not readily cultivable bacteria

We developed a novel method, the filtration-acclimatization method (FAM), which enables the isolation and cultivation of an important fraction of the bacterial diversity, which is not cultivable by standard methods. The method consists of a filtration step, which removes most of the readily cultivable bacteria able to overgrow slowly growing bacteria, and an acclimatization procedure that provides a slow transition from the low environmental substrate concentrations to the high concentration of standard microbial media. So far, we isolated in total 65 strains from surface freshwater habitats by utilizing FAM. The isolates are affiliated with Actinobacteria, Alpha-, Betaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaeta. All isolates are pure cultures and form visible colonies on agar plates with high substrate concentrations. For further analysis, strains sharing more than a 97% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity were grouped into one taxon. Based on sequence similarities, 88% of the obtained taxa can be considered to be undescribed species (<97% similarity to closest species). The highest similarity value of the taxa to the respective closest related species ranged from 87.7% to 99.8%, and was on average 94.5%. For comparison we isolated, by direct plating of water samples on a rich agar medium, a similar number of taxa. Amongst these taxa the percentage of taxa, which can be considered to be undescribed species, was only half of the percentage found for the taxa isolated by FAM. More importantly, it was amongst the taxa obtained by the standard method no taxon that was closer related to an uncultured bacterium than to an isolate, while 56% of the taxa isolated by FAM were closely related to uncultured bacteria.     

北衙金矿矿石内部可培养细菌多样性初步研究

目的对北衙金矿矿石样品内部的可培养细菌进行分离并对其多样性进行研究。方法采集云南北衙金矿矿石样品,采用固体肉汤培养基、卵黄培养基及厌氧琼脂培养基分离矿石内部的可培养细菌,并利用16SrRNA基因序列构建系统发育树,初步评估细菌多样性。结果北衙金矿矿石内部细菌的主要种群包括厚壁菌门和放线菌门的不同菌属,包括芽孢杆菌属、类芽孢杆菌属、考克菌属及节杆菌属的菌株,其中抗逆性较强的优势菌群为放线菌门的细菌。结论本研究证实北衙金矿矿石内部的确存在大量可培羔±田萧．并且右种群名样件．     

Diversity and characterization of mercury-resistant bacteria in snow, freshwater and sea-ice brine from the High Arctic

It is well-established that atmospheric deposition transports mercury from lower latitudes to the Arctic. The role of bacteria in the dynamics of the deposited mercury, however, is unknown. We characterized mercury-resistant bacteria from High Arctic snow, freshwater and sea-ice brine. Bacterial densities were 9.4 × 10(5), 5 × 10(5) and 0.9-3.1 × 10(3) cells mL(-1) in freshwater, brine and snow, respectively. Highest cultivability was observed in snow (11.9%), followed by freshwater (0.3%) and brine (0.03%). In snow, the mercury-resistant bacteria accounted for up to 31% of the culturable bacteria, but <2% in freshwater and brine. The resistant bacteria belonged to the Alpha-, Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteriodetes. Resistance levels of most isolates were not temperature dependent. Of the resistant isolates, 25% reduced Hg(II) to Hg(0). No relation between resistance level, ability to reduce Hg(II) and phylogenetic group was observed. An estimation of the potential bacterial reduction of Hg(II) in snow suggested that it was important in the deeper snow layers where light attenuation inhibited photoreduction. Thus, by reducing Hg(II) to Hg(0), mercury-resistant bacteria may limit the supply of substrate for methylation processes and, hence, contribute to lowering the risk that methylmercury is being incorporated into the Arctic food chains.     

Diversity of Antibiotic-Active Bacteria Associated with the Brown Alga Laminaria saccharina from the Baltic Sea

Bacteria associated with the marine macroalga Laminaria saccharina, collected from the Kiel Fjord (Baltic Sea, Germany), were isolated and tested for antimicrobial activity. From a total of 210 isolates, 103 strains inhibited the growth of at least one microorganism from the test panel including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as a yeast. Most common profiles were the inhibition of Bacillus subtilis only (30%), B. subtilis and Staphylococcus lentus (25%), and B. subtilis, S. lentus, and Candida albicans (11%). In summary, the antibiotic-active isolates covered 15 different activity patterns suggesting various modes of action. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities >99%, 45 phylotypes were defined, which were classified into 21 genera belonging to Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that four isolates possibly represent novel species or even genera. In conclusion, L. saccharina represents a promising source for the isolation of new bacterial taxa and antimicrobially active bacteria.     

Broad Diversity and Newly Cultured Bacterial Isolates from Enrichment of Pig Feces on Complex Polysaccharides

One of the fascinating functions of mammalian intestinal microbiota is fermentation of plant cell wall components. Eight-week continuous culture enrichments of pig feces with cellulose and xylan/pectin were used to isolate bacteria from this community. A total of 575 bacterial isolates were classified phylogenetically using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Six phyla were represented in the bacterial isolates: Firmicutes (242), Bacteroidetes (185), Proteobacteria (65), Fusobacteria (55), Actinobacteria (23), and Synergistetes (5). The majority of the bacterial isolates had ≥97 % similarity to cultured bacteria with sequences in the RDP, but 179 isolates represent new species and/or genera. Within the Firmicutes isolates, most were classified in the families of Lachnospiraceae, Enterococcaceae, Staphylococcaceae, and Clostridiaceae I. The majority of the Bacteroidetes were most closely related to Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Bacteroides ovatus, and B. xylanisolvens. Many of the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes isolates were identified as species that possess enzymes that ferment plant cell wall components, and the rest likely support these bacteria. The microbial communities that arose in these enrichment cultures had broad bacterial diversity. With over 30 % of the isolates not represented in culture, there are new opportunities to study genomic and metabolic capacities of these members of the complex intestinal microbiota.     

滇西北兰坪金顶铅锌矿矿区可培养细菌多样性初步研究

目的对兰坪金顶铅锌矿矿区样品中的可培养细菌进行分离并对其多样性进行研究。方法采集云南兰坪金顶铅锌矿矿区土样和矿石样,采用固体肉汤培养基、卯黄培养基及PYGV培养基分离该矿区环境中的可培养细菌,利用16SrRNA基因序列分析构建系统发育树,并统计不同种属细菌的数量,初步评估细菌多样性。结果兰坪金顶铅锌矿矿区环境细菌的主要种群包括放线菌门、变形菌门和厚壁菌门的不同菌属：微球菌属、节杆菌属、假单胞菌属、短波单胞菌属、芽孢杆菌属、类芽孢杆菌属、考克菌属、葡萄球菌属、芽孢八叠球菌及Skermanella属的菌株,其中抗逆性较强的优势菌群为放线菌门的细菌。结论本研究初步证实兰坪金顶铅锌矿矿区可培养细菌种类丰富。     

云南省富宁磁铁矿矿区可培养细菌多样性初步研究

目的对云南富宁磁铁矿矿区样品中可培养细菌进行分离并对其多样性进行了初步研究。方法采集云南富宁磁铁矿矿区土样和矿石样,采用固体肉汤培养基、卵黄培养基及PYGV培养基分离该矿区环境中的可培养细菌,利用16SrRNA基因序列分析构建系统发育树,并统计不同种属细菌的数量,初步评估细菌多样性。结果富宁磁铁矿矿区环境细菌的主要种群包括厚壁菌门、放线菌门和变形菌门的不同菌属：芽孢杆菌属、葡萄球菌属、节杆菌属和假单胞菌属的菌株,其中抗逆性较强的优势菌群为厚壁菌门的芽孢杆菌。结论本研究初步表明富宁磁铁矿矿区可培养细菌种类具有一定的多样性。     

Isolation of novel bacteria, including a candidate division, from geothermal soils in New Zealand

We examined bacterial diversity of three geothermal soils in the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes recovered directly from soils indicated that the bacterial communities differed in composition and richness, and were dominated by previously uncultured species of the phyla Actinobacteria , Acidobacteria , Chloroflexi , Proteobacteria and candidate division OP10. Aerobic, thermophilic, organotrophic bacteria were isolated using cultivation protocols that involved extended incubation times, low-pH media and gellan as a replacement gelling agent to agar. Isolates represented previously uncultured species, genera, classes, and even a new phylum of bacteria. They included members of the commonly cultivated phyla Proteobacteria , Firmicutes , Thermus/Deinococcus , Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes , as well as more-difficult-to-cultivate groups. Isolates possessing < 85% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to any cultivated species were obtained from the phyla Acidobacteria , Chloroflexi and the previously uncultured candidate division OP10. Several isolates were prevalent in 16S rRNA gene clone libraries constructed directly from the soils. A key factor facilitating isolation was the use of gellan-solidified plates, where the gellan itself served as an energy source for certain bacteria. The results indicate that geothermal soils are a rich potential source of novel bacteria, and that relatively simple cultivation techniques are practical for isolating bacteria from these habitats.     

Monitoring bacterial communities in raw milk and cheese by culture-dependent and -independent 16S rRNA gene-based analyses

The diversity and dynamics of bacterial populations in Saint-Nectaire, a raw-milk, semihard cheese, were investigated using a dual culture-dependent and direct molecular approach combining single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) fingerprinting and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The dominant clones, among 125 16S rRNA genes isolated from milk, belonged to members of the Firmicutes (58% of the total clones) affiliated mainly with the orders Clostridiales and the Lactobacillales, followed by the phyla Proteobacteria (21.6%), Actinobacteria (16.8%), and Bacteroidetes (4%). Sequencing the 16S rRNA genes of 126 milk isolates collected from four culture media revealed the presence of 36 different species showing a wider diversity in the Gammaproteobacteria phylum and Staphylococcus genus than that found among clones. In cheese, a total of 21 species were obtained from 170 isolates, with dominant species belonging to the Lactobacillales and subdominant species affiliated with the Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes (Chryseobacterium sp.), or Gammaproteobacteria (Stenotrophomonas sp.). Fingerprinting DNA isolated from milk by SSCP analysis yielded complex patterns, whereas analyzing DNA isolated from cheese resulted in patterns composed of a single peak which corresponded to that of lactic acid bacteria. SSCP fingerprinting of mixtures of all colonies harvested from plate count agar supplemented with crystal violet and vancomycin showed good potential for monitoring the subdominant Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes (Flavobacteria) organisms in milk and cheese. Likewise, analyzing culturable subcommunities from cheese-ripening bacterial medium permitted assessment of the diversity of halotolerant Actinobacteria and Staphylococcus organisms. Direct and culture-dependent approaches produced complementary information, thus generating a more accurate view of milk and cheese microbial ecology.     

Development of a Bacterial Cell Enrichment Method and its Application to the Community Analysis in Soybean Stems

A method was developed for enriching bacterial cells from soybean stems which was recalcitrant for a culture-independent analysis of bacterial community due to the interference with plant DNA. Stem homogenates were fractionated by a series of differential centrifugations followed by a Nycodenz density gradient centrifugation. The efficiency of bacterial cell enrichment was assessed by ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (RISA). The intensity and the number of bacterial amplicons of RISA were markedly increased in the DNA extracted from the enriched bacterial cells compared to that in the DNA directly extracted from soybean stems. The phylogenetic diversity of the enriched bacterial cells was evaluated by analyzing a clone library of 16S rRNA gene in comparison with those of the culturable fractions of the enriched and non-enriched stem-associated bacteria, endophytic bacteria, and epiphytic bacteria. The results indicated that the method was able to enrich both endophytic and epiphytic bacteria from soybean stems, and was useful to assess the bacterial diversity based on a 16S rRNA gene clone library. When the sequence data from all clones (1,332 sequences) were combined, 72 operational taxonomic units were affiliated with Proteobacteria (Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria), Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes, which also provided the most comprehensive set of data on the bacterial diversity in the aerial parts of soybeans.     

中国南海沉积环境可培养细菌多样性研究

【目的】探索海洋沉积环境中可培养细菌的多样性。【方法】采用纯培养分离及16S rRNA基因序列鉴定的方法,对我国南海海域20个沉积物样品进行细菌多样性分析。【结果】共获得200株细菌,分属于47个属,99个种。经系统进化分析,可培养菌株主要分布于4个类群:厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes),优势类群为Firmicutes,其中芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)所占比例为55.6%;而Actinobacteria和Bacteroidetes两个类群获得菌株较少;在Firmicutes和Actinobacteria两个类群中发现8个潜在新种和3个潜在新属级类群。【结论】初步研究结果表明,南海海洋沉积环境可培养微生物资源丰富,新物种资源多样;其中,芽孢杆菌为海洋沉积环境中的优势类群,随着样品深度的增加,细菌多样性呈现递减的趋势,深度可能是影响细菌多样性的一个重要因素;其次,分离培养基和分离方法直接关系到样品中可培养微生物多样性的发现,有待深入研究。     

Heterotrophic bacteria associated with the green alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ulva rigida</Emphasis>: identification and antimicrobial potential

Heterotrophic bacteria associated with the green alga Ulva rigida, collected from the coast of Tunisia, were isolated and subsequently identified by their 16S rRNA gene sequences and by phylogenetic analysis. The 71 isolates belong to four phyla: Proteobacteria (Alpha-and Gamma- subclasses), Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Most of the isolates belong to Proteobacteria. The Gram-positive Firmicutes and especially the genus Bacillus were well-represented at the surface of U. rigida, collected from the coast as well as from the lagoon, while Actinobacteria were represented only at the surface of algae collected from the coast of Cap Zebib. Bacteroidetes were more represented at the surface of algae collected from the Ghar El Melh lagoon. The bacterial community of the water surrounding the algae was different from that associated with the surface of the algae. Moreover, the abundance of bacteria in the surrounding water was much lower compared to the density of bacteria associated with the surface of the algae. Bacteria isolated from the algal surface were tested for their antimicrobial potential. The results show that ~?36% of the algae-associated bacterial isolates possess antibacterial activity whereas free-living bacteria, isolated from the surrounding water, did not show such activity. The surface of U. rigida was colonized by a high diversity of culturable and possibly novel epiphytic bacteria that may be an important source of antimicrobial compounds and are therefore of biotechnological interest.