Abstract: The antimicrobial activity of the fermentation brothes of 294 halophilic and halotolerant bacteria,isolated from ordinary non-saline soils collected from the Dehang Canyon (28°15′~28°43′ N,109°30′~109°45′ E) in Hunan Province,China,was screened using the agar diffusion method employing 8 indicator microorganisms (three Gram-positive bacteria,three Gram-negative bacteria and two fungi).The results showed that,out of 294 strains tested,109 were positive in antimicrobial activity (37.1%),in which 5 strains exhibited strong antimicrobial activity.Then these 5 strains were submitted for 16S rRNA gene amplification and phylogenetic analysis after phenotypic characterization including morphological,biochemical and physiological tests.The results suggested that these 5 strains were members of 4 genera in 3 families (Bacillaceae,Halomonadaceae,Nocardiopsaceae) of 3 phyla (Actinobacteria,Firmicutes,Proteobacteria):strain JSM 102030 belonged to the genus Halobacillus (Firmicutes,Bacillaceae),being most closely to the type strain of Halobacillus trueperi (sequence similarity 99.1%);strains 102052 and JSM 102054 were members of the genus Halomonas (Proteobacteria,Halomonadaceae),being related most closely to the type strain of Halomonas alkaliphila (98.3%);strains JSM 102066 strain JSM 2155017 belonged to the genus Nocardiopsis (Actinobacteria,Nocardiopsaceae),exhibiting 99.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Nocardiopsis prasina DSM43845T;strain JSM 102082 belonged to the genus Oceanobacillus (Firmicutes,Bacillaceae),exhibiting 99.6% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Oceanobacillus kimchii X50T.

Key words: ordinary non-saline environment, halophilic bacteria, halotolerant bacteria, antimicrobial activity, phylogenetic analysis