Biodiversity and Biotechnological Potential of Spore-Forming Bacteria of Atmospheric Aerosols in the South of Western Siberia

The diversity of spore-forming bacteria isolated from high-altitude and near-surface aerosol samples while monitoring the biogenic component of atmospheric air in the south of Western Siberia is investigated. A significant predominance of spore-forming bacteria over representatives of other microorganism groups was recorded from October to December 2016. Sixty-two culturable cultures of endospore-forming bacteria were isolated from the aerosol samples collected in that period. Their morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics were studied, their genomic identification performed, and their enzymatic activity determined. The isolated and characterized bacterial cultures are identified as belonging to the genera Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Brevibacillus, Lysinibacillus, etc. and possessing biotechnologically significant proteolytic, amylolytic, phosphatasic, lipolytic, and nuclease activities.