Identification and characterization of lipolytic and proteolytic bacteria isolated from marine sediments

Lipolytic and proteolytic bacteria were isolated from sediments at two sampling stations in the New York Bight Apex and one sampling station each in Sandy Hook Bay and Great Bay, New Jersey. The stations in the Bight Apex and Sandy Hook Bay have received industrial wastes and sewage for several decades, while Great Bay has received little of such materials. Proteolytic counts were 2–4 times higher and lipolytic counts generally 4 times higher in the polluted areas. Of the isolates taken from casein and lipid plates, 76% were Gram-negative rods; 80% of the latter were identified as Vibrio and Pseudomonas. The vibrios comprised more than 60% of the isolates from Station 4 (Great Bay) and Station 1 (Bight Apex), and were tested for their ability to break down casein, lipid, starch, and chitin. From Station 1, 75% of the Vibrio were active in degrading one or more substrates in addition to the substrate of the initial isolation medium; from Station 4, 52% of the Vibrio were active.