Abstract

CHARACTERIZATION OF CHITINASE PRODUCING BACILLUS SPECIES ISOLATED FROM CHILLI RHIZOSPHERES OF GUNTUR DISTRICT ANDHRA PRADESH

Phebe Sarah Koti Ratnam*

Abstract

Chitin is the second most abundant organic and renewable source in nature, after cellulose. Chitinases are chitin-degrading enzymes have great importance in enzyme market. A total of 10 bacterial isolates belonging to Bacillus species isolated from chilli rhizosphere, Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. All the isolates were tested for chitinase production on colloidal chitin medium. Among them four isolates i.e. Bacillus sp. PB-3(2.22 IU/ mg), Bacillus sp. PB-5(2.75 IU/ mg), Bacillus sp. PB-6(2.22 IU/ mg), and Bacillus sp. PB-8(3.46 IU/ mg) showed chitinase production. Optimization studies like incubation period, pH, carbon and nitrogen sources were determined by these four isolates. Chitinase production was maximum on 6 days of incubation (3.46 IU/ mg) period and the optimum pH was found to be 7.0. Carbon and nitrogen sources greatly influenced the chitinase production. Among them 1% glucose and 0.5% glycine was the best for chitinase activity.

Keywords: Bacillus, Chitinase, Carbon and nitrogen sources