Phylogenetic diversity of Actinomycetota species isolated from waters of Lake Natron, Arusha, Tanzania

Actinomycetota are bacteria with biotechnological potential known to produce bioactive compounds in their natural ecosystems. Natural ecosystems include extreme environments such as soda lakes. Lake Natron is one of the soda lakes found in Arusha region, Tanzania. This study aimed to characterise and establish the phylogenetic diversity of the isolated Actinomycetota species that inhabit the lake waters. Results after 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed eleven genera of phylum Actinomycetota: <i>Streptomyces, Micrococcus, Microbacterium, Gordonia, Micromonospora, Kocuria, Isoptericola, Dietzia, Arthrobacter, Nocardiopsis</i> and <i>Mycobacterium</i> have been identified. Of these, <i>Streptomyces radiopugnans, Streptomyces harenosi, Streptomyces althioticus, Micrococcus terreus</i> and <i>Kocuria</i> sp. are reported for the first time in this soda lake, and this is the first time that <i>Gordonia</i> sp. has been reported from a soda lake in East Africa. <i>Micromonospora</i> sp. and <i>Arthrobacter</i> sp. are reported for the first time as occurring in a Tanzanian soda lake and three putative new species of Actinomycetota have been revealed. The Actinomycetota species described in this study sets a platform for future bioprospection of novel bioactive compounds from Lake Natron.