Bacterial Diversity and Phylogenetic Analysis of Type II Polyketide Synthase Gene from Manao Pee Cave, Thailand
ABSTRACT A subterranean limestone cave, Manao Pee, was investigated for bacterial diversity and potential secondary metabolites production. Comparative 16 S rRNA analysis revealed that cave soil was highly dominated by Actinobacteria; whereas, Proteobacteria was highly abundant outside the cave. As Actinobacteria are biotechnologically valuable for their secondary metabolites, the diversity of the b ketoacyl synthase (KSb) was investigated. The results showed that the identified KSb has 61 80% amino acid sequence identity to known sequences. Phylogenetic analysis placed some of the sequences in novel clades, suggesting the presence of novel KSb domains. Thus, Manao Pee cave is a promising habitat to discover potential novel bioactive compounds.