Identification of Selenium-Resistant Bacteria Based on 16S rRNA Gene from the Microbiology Laboratory Collection at State Islamic University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang

This study aimed to identify selenium-resistant bacteria from the microbiology laboratory collection at Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang. Selenium, while essential, is toxic at high levels and can cause kidney, liver, hair loss, and central nervous system damage. The research tested 10 bacterial isolates for resistance to sodium selenate (Na2SeO4) at concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 mM. Four isolates (LM-1, LM-3, LM-5, and LM-10) showed resistance and were identified through 16S rRNA gene analysis as Bacillus megaterium strains with high similarity percentages (99.33% to 99.83%).