Selective isolation of indigenous Pseudomonas syringae strains with ice nucleation activity properties from a ski resort

Four sampling sites were selected in the area of Velouhi mountain, Greece in order to screen for Pseudomonas syringae isolates with high ice nucleation activity from a ski resort environment. Bacterial isolates (n = 147) were obtained from soil and phyllosphere samples. Seven isolates exhibited morphological, biochemical and physiological profile similar to P. syringae. Phylogenetic relationships of the seven isolates were determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Two isolates were phylogenetically affiliated to P. syringae, three to P. viridiflava, one to P. avellanae, and one Pseudomonas strain could not be assigned to a known species. The seven isolates were examined for their ice-nucleation activity properties. Three out of the seven studied isolates exhibited ice nucleation activity from -4.67 to -4.35 ice nuclei per cell, values similar to those obtained from a known ice-nucleation protein producer P. syringae strain and therefore could be used for the production of artificial snow in ski resort areas with short snow periods