Cellulase Producing Bacteria from the Wood-Yards on Kallai River Bank

This study evaluates the influence of growth parameters such as pH, temperature, Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC) concentration and agitation on cellulase production from three bacterial strains, viz., Achromobacter xylosoxidans BSS4, Bacillus sp. BSS3 and Pseudomonas sp. BSS2 isolated from the wood-yards on Kallai river bank in Kerala. Production of cellulase by these isolates was detected using basal salt medium (BSM) with 0.5% CMC as supplement, and CMCase activity was confirmed by iodine test. Dinitrosalicylic acid method was employed for assaying the cellulase production by measuring the amount of glucose liberated in μmol/mL/min. Maximum enzyme production from Pseudomonas sp. BSS2 was at pH 8, 37℃ with 1% CMC and 150 rpm, and cellulase production increased from initial 49.84 U/mL to 91.28 U/mL after optimization. The highest enzyme activity from Bacillus sp. BSS3 was at pH 9, 37℃ with 1% CMC, 150 rpm, and cellulase production increased from initial 26.05 U/mL to 104.68 U/mL after optimization. The maximum enzyme production from A. xylosoxidans BSS4 was at pH 7, 40℃ with 0.5% CMC and 150 rpm, and cellulase production increased from initial 55.28 U/mL to 68.37 U/mL after optimization. Thus among the three isolates, Bacillus sp. BSS3 showed maximum enzyme yield which can be explored for further scale up studies with an industrial perspective.

Rubber Seed Kernel as Potent Solid Substrate for the Production of Lipase by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain BUP2

This study explored the utility of flours of rubber seed, coconut and groundnut kernels, and de-oiled cakes of coconut and groundnut as solid substrate for the production of lipase by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BUP2 (MTCC No. 5924), a novel bacterium reported from the rumen of Malabari goat. Various proportions (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% or 50%) of flours or cakes were prepared (w/v) with BUP medium (pH 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8), and incubated at different temperature (25°C, 28°C, 30°C or 32°C) for 24 to 96 h. The samples were assayed for lipase activity at 24 h intervals. The rubber seed flour (20%)-BUP medium supported the maximum lipase production (871 U/gds) at 48h incubation (pH 6, 28°C), followed by ground nut flour (398 U/gds), while ground nut cake supported the least lipase production (244 U/gds). From this, it is evident that the cheaply available rubber seed is an efficient substrate for the production of lipase, irrespective of its known demerit that it contains the limarin, a toxin;in fact, we could not detect limarin in the fermented matter. Thus, the utility of rubber seed for the production of a costly enzyme is reported from a novel rumen bacterium, which would be advantageous for rubber farmers.

Optimization of Parameters for the Production of Lipase from Pseudomonas sp. BUP6 by Solid State Fermentation

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) holds tremendous potentials for the production of industrially significant enzymes. The present study describes the production of lipase by a novel rumen bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. strain BUP6 on agro-industrial residues. Pseudomonas sp. strain BUP6 showed higher lipase production when grown in Basal salt medium (BSM) supplemented with oil cakes. Initially, five different oil cakes (obtained after extracting oil from coconut, groundnut, cotton seed, gingelly or soybean) were screened to find out the most suitable substrate-cum-inducer for the production of lipase. Among them, groundnut cake supported the maximum production of lipase (107.44 U/gds). Box-Behnken Design (BBD), followed by response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the culture parameters for maximizing the production of lipase. Using the software Minitab 14, four different parameters like temperature, pH, moisture content and incubation time were selected for the statistical optimization, which resulted in 0.7 fold increase (i.e., 180.75 U/gds) in production of lipase under the optimum culture conditions (temperature 28&#176C, pH 5.9, moisture 33% and incubation 2 d). Thus, this study signifies the importance of SSF for the production of industrially-significant lipase using agro-industrial residues as solid support.

Versatility of microbial proteases

Proteases or peptidases constitute the largest group of enzymes in bio-industry with a long array of uses. They play an invincible role in industrial biotechnology, especially in detergent, food and pharmaceutical arena. This focused review encompasses an overview on alkaline proteases, mainly of microbial sources in a handy module. Following an introduction and general classification with evolutionary insight, major sources of proteases (animal, plant and microbial including fungal, bacterial), their general properties with mechanism of action and molecular masses are discussed. Proteases fromBacillusspp. have been given special attention. In addition to this, an overview on the applications of proteases in detergent, tannery, food, metal recovery and waste treatment industries is also addressed briefly.

<i>Ralstonia solanacearum</i>Induction Causes Biochemical and Oxidative Stress Isozyme Variations in Mangroves without Wilt

We evaluated the effects of Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) induced biotic stress in three mangroves, viz., Avicennia officinalis, Derris trifoliata and Excoecaria agallocha. These plants were grown in pots as well as hydroponic systems with sufficient controls, and about 8 × 104 colony forming units of Rs suspension was injected into the healthy test plants (saplings). The plants were subjected to biochemical and isozyme analyses. Upon induction of Rs stress, highly significant (p 0.01) biochemical changes (%) were noticed in respect to controls: carbohydrate content was generally high (24-36) in all plants;hydroponic mangroves showed higher starch content, mangroves under hydroponic system showed increased reducing sugars (29-46), almost all mangroves showed increased protein content;phenolics showed a swing of decrease or increase between plants grown in pot and hydroponic systems;and all plants in general showed higher proline content. Regarding oxidative stress isozymes (OSE) and superoxide dismutase (EC1.15.1.1), mangroves showed 1 or 2 additional isozymes with comparable relative mobility;similarly 1 or 2 additional peroxidase (EC1.11.1.7) isozymes were found in mangroves grown under hydroponic system. Briefly, Rs induced biotic stress did not cause any wilt symptom in all the 3 mangroves tested, but their normal biochemical and OSE patterns, especially of those grown as hydroponics were elicited to significantly higher levels.