COMBINATORIAL SCREENING OF HYDROLYTIC ENZYME/S AND PHA PRODUCING BACILLUS SPP., FOR COST EFFECTIVE PRODUCTION OF PHAS.

Abstract

Exploiting the innate hydrolytic enzyme/s potential of the genus Bacillus for cost-effective production of PHAs, using various agro-industrial wastes will contribute to cost reduction and elimination of pre-treatment protocols. PHA producing Bacillus spp. from different rhizospheric soils capable of producing a variety of hydrolytic enzymes were isolated. Two promising isolates: Ti1 and Ti3, from tomato rhizospheric soil samples depicted the PHA yield of 1.44 - 1.6 g/L and the % PHA accumulation of 50.58 and 50.1, respectively. The isolate Ti1 produced amylase, cellulase and protease and Ti3 produced amylase, cellulase, ligninase, lipase and protease of the seven enzymes screened. Combinatorial qualitative innate enzyme based PHA production assay revealed production of PHA by these isolates on some of these complex substrates. Molecular phylogenetic analysis identified Ti3 with close homology to B.megaterium which showed comparable PHA accumulation on starch during preliminary investigation. The strain with its innate hydrolytic potential could be further explored for cost effective production of PHAs using low cost agro-industrial, food and dairy wastes.