Development of Symbiotic Pigmented Bacterial Potential from Mangrove <i>Rhizophora mucronata</i> in Semarang Beach, Indonesia

Symbiont bacteria in mangrove litter include bacteria associated with mangrove plants. These bacteria help mangrove plants by increasing the nutrients available in the environment, reducing humidity, and converting insoluble phosphate into soluble forms. Other bacteria found in mangrove litter include nitrifying, decomposition, and organic compound decomposing bacteria. The study aimed to determine the potential of pigmented bacteria in mangrove litter symbionts as multidrug-resistant antibacterials and their potential as antioxidants. The sample collection comes from the mangrove ecosystem in Mangunhardjo Village, Semarang—samples isolated, specially pigmented bacteria. Further research includes Symbiont Bacteria Purification, Mangrove Litter Association Antibacterial Activity Test, Molecular Identification, Pigment Identification and DPPH Test. The test bacteria used are Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) bacteria, namely: Staphylococcus aureus MDR, MDR Escherichia coli , MDR Enterococcus , MDR Proteus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio haemolyticus, Micrococus lutheus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The results showed 16 isolates and one pigmented isolate, and the potential as a MultiDrug Resistant (MDR) antibacterial was selected as the test sample. The results of identifying pigmented bacteria and their potential as an antibacterial was Bacillus subtilis strain PXJ-5. The study results concluded that the pigmented bacteria in the mangrove symbiont have an MDR antibacterial and contains carotenoids that can inhibit DPPH free radicals up to 58.9%.