Isolation Characterization and Identification of a Pectinolytic Streptomyces Isolate

Abstract

Agro-industrial residues are primarily composed of complex polysaccharides that strengthen microbial growth for the production of important industrial enzymes. Actinomycetes are efficient degraders of plant debris as they produce extracellular enzymes like, pectinase, cellulose and xylanase. Pectinases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of pectin (polygalacturonic acid) to galacturonic acid residues. This study involved the isolation of some bacteria for pectinase hydrolysis. The preliminary screening for pectinase production was done by well plate method. Of the twenty-one strains tested for pectin hydrolysis eighteen were very good producers of pectinase giving zones from 15 to 42 mm. Further screening of selected strains was done quantitatively by 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) method for pectinase production. Selection and identification of the most active isolate FMA18 was carried out. The strain FMA18 were identified based on their morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics. The result of 16s rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the isolate FMA18 was identified as Streptomyces aurantiogriseus with 99% similarity level.