A thermophilic protease-secreting bacterial isolate, TPNK-3, from Kiteezi landfill, is an aerobic Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium with rod-shaped cells (3.28 μm long and 0.45 μm wide). Optimal growth was observed at 55°C and pH of 7.0, and the isolate tolerates up to 5% (w/v) NaCl, exhibits extracellular amylolytic, cellulolytic and caseinolytic activities, utilizes a range of carbon and nitrogen sources and has a GC content of 45 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the studied bacterium belongs to the genus Bacillus, and closest to Bacillus gelatini (>99.9%). Consequently, isolate TPNK3 is tentatively described as Bacillus gelatini strain TPNK3.
Keywords: 16S rRNA-gene; phylogenetic relationship; thermophilic.