Characterization of Bacillus sp. bacteria isolated from Chojeong mineral water

This study aimed to identify a Bacillus strain isolated from Chojeong mineral water in Korea. One strain was isolated using a marine agar medium, and its growth temperature was analyzed in complex media. Strain identification confirmed that it was similar to Bacillus subtilis. The ability of the strain to produce extracellular hydrolytic enzymes was assessed to determine whether the culture medium of the isolated strain could be used in the cosmetics and food-related industries. The LKSU-1 strain showed higher protease activity when cultured in Luria-Bertani (LB) broth compared to media containing nutrient broth (NB) and tryptic soy broth (TSB). As a first step toward optimizing culture media, the carbon source utilization of the LKSU-1 strain was evaluated, indicating that it could metabolize 18 types of carbon sources. Therefore, this research contributes valuable data for securing domestic genetic resources and optimizing media for isolated strains.