The main objective of the present study was isolation, purification, and characterization of actinomycetes from soil samples, having antimicrobial activity against 10 selected pathogenic strains. Marine soil samples were collected from the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh, India. Potential colonies were screened, purified, and stored in glycerol stock. Isolates were morphologically and biochemically characterized. Totally 31 actinomycete isolates were tested for antagonistic activity against 10 pathogenic microorganisms. Isolates DHB-201, DHB-308, DHB-603 and DHB-702 were highly active, while other showed less activity against the pathogenic microorganisms. Isolate DHB-603 exhibited the highest antagonistic activity against all bacterial organisms and DHB-505 showed the highest activity against fungal organisms. All actinomycetes isolates showed antibacterial activity against B. subtilis, while they showed less activity against P. aeruginosa. These isolates had antibacterial activity and could be used in the development of new antibiotics for pharmaceutical or agricultural purposes.
