Course of Food Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Fisheries, Minato, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
Sixteen marine sediment samples collected from Tokyo Bay, Sagami Bay, Suruga Bay and Enshu-Nada were incubated under increased pressure (1-600atm). Two barophilic microbes were obtained from Sagami Bay at a depth of 1,400m and Ensyu Nada at a depth of 300m. They were referred to as strains SA-6 and EN-16, respectively. Both strains required seawater for their growth which indicated that they were marine in origin. From the taxonomic characterization, strains SA-6 and EN-16 were identified as Kurchia and Acinetobacter, respectively. The activities of protease and α-amylase produced by strain EN-16 increased much more than 1atm under increased pressure.