Abstract/Summary

The paper reports on the detection and isolation of mucus-forming microorganisms from soil samples, rhizosphere and plant tissue growing in the foothill and foothill plains of the Zailiyskiy Alatau, belonging to the families Lamiaceae, Didymochlaenaceae and Compositae. 232 isolates were used in this work: 216 of them were mucus-forming isolates and 16 were isolated from oil-contaminated soil samples. A high percentage of mucus-forming bacteria has been isolated from the soil, rhizosphere and roots of peppermint plants (Mentha piperita). Screening methods for assessing the ability of microorganisms to produce mucus on various media, by visual observation of the phenotypic characteristics of colonies (mucous or mucoid), relative viscosity and density of the culture fluid. It was found that the highest percentage of colonies with a viscous phenotype among mucus-forming bacteria was observed on dishes with YPG and YM media. From 232, 9 viscous/mucoid isolates were selected: MRK, FRK, TRK8, TRK27, PRK4, MEK33, PRK13, MEK9 and PEK1, characterized by the highest mucus yield, with higher relative viscosity values from 38.8±7.1% to 40.1 ±6.4% and the density of the culture fluid in various media is 4.9001 - 5.0001 g/cm3.