Biochemical and molecular identification of oxalate-oxidizing bacteria isolated from rhizosphere of biomenralizing tree, Terminalia alata from Kumaun Himalaya, India

Oxalate oxidation, which has environmental implications, is performed by oxalotrophic bacteria. In this study, forest survey was conducted in Bhujighat (BHU), Nainital district of Uttarakhand state in India. Biomineralizing tree, Terminalia alata was identified with the help of 10 % HCl treatment which showed effervesce. Soil samples were collected at different depths of soil profile. The Schlegel's agar medium was used to obtained microbial diversity. Microbial analysis of each soil sample was done by dilution plating method. Morphologically distinct colonies were examined by morphologically and biochemically by menace of oxalate assay, siderophore production and phosphate solubilization. Total 112 bacteria were isolated, out of these 9 potential isolates were amplified with 16S rDNA primer (Gm3f and Gm4r). Amplified pcr product was sent for DNA sequencing. The sequence results obtained after DNA sequencing, sequence similarity search was performed on NCBI-BLAST tool. The similarities of 2 most potent strains BHU A4 and BHU X1 were almost 99% with Rhizobium sp. The nucleotide sequence of both strains were submitted to NCBI gene bank database, Rhizobium sp. strain BHU A4 (KY021745) and Rhizobium sp. strain BHU X1 (KY021756). Both strains are being used in glasshouse experiment for plant growth promotion related activities under different pH level of soil, which is a basic supplement for plant health. This indicates that oxalotrophic bacteria are numerous and widespread in soils and that a relationship exists between the presence of the oxalogenic trees. Terminalia alata tree having abundance of oxalotrophic guilds in the total bacterial communities which explains the biomenralization and calcium carbonate accumulation below these trees, which act as long term carbon sink.