AN ECOFRIENDLY APPROACH OF LIPASE PRODUCTION BY MARINE ACTINOMYCETES USING AGRO WASTE (NEEM CAKE)

Abstract

A Gram positive, sporulative, thermophilic marine Actinomycetes strain capable of producing extracellular lipase was isolated from marine soil, collected from 4-5 feet depth of the coastal area of kanyakumari district, in Tamilnadu. The efficiency of neem cake as a substrate for lipase production by marine Actinomycetes strain in solid state fermentation (SSF) has been studied and reported. The Neem oil cake is rich in protein, cheap, abundantly available being an agro industrial waste and can be constructively used as one of the main constituent in medium formulation. The growth conditions were optimized for the maximum production of enzymes. Parameters such as pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources were optimized. The lipase activity was found to be maximum in solid state fermentation in alkaline conditions at pH 9.0 under thermophilic conditions of temperature 47ºC.