PROCESS OPTIMIZATION OF EXTRACELLULAR CHITINASE PRODUCTION FROM BACILLUS SP. ISOLATED FROM FISH WASTE DUMPING SITE

Naveen Gupta*, Aditya Kumar, Laksh, Steffy Angural and Monika Rana

ABSTRACT

Microbial chitinases have wide range of applications in biotechnology, agricultural (biocontrol agent of phytopathogenic fungi) and bioremediation (bioremediation of seafood waste). Non- availability of chitinases with desired properties and low enzyme yields are a challenge in the commercial application of these enzymes. Chitinase producing bacteria were isolated from the soil samples collected from the chitin degrading sites. Isolate giving maximum chitinolytic activity was selected on the basis of chitin hydrolysis zone and chitinase activity in liquid assay. Various physicochemical parameters were standardized for maximal enzyme yield. An eight fold increase in the chitinase activity was achieved from the optimization studies done on the selected isolate for its hyper production. Maximum activity was obtained when media was supplemented with 1% chitin as carbon source and 0.5% casein as nitrogen source and incubated at 37ºC, 150 rpm for 72 hours. Cultural, physiological, and biochemical characteristics indicate that the bacterial isolate belongs to the Genus Bacillus.

Keywords: Chitinase, optimization, phytopathogenic fungi, biocontrol agent.