Abstract

ISOLATION AND EXTRACELLULAR SCREENING OF GLUCOSE ISOMERASE PRODUCING BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM AGRICULTURE SOIL

Sanjay Parihar and Harshada Joshi*

Abstract

Microbial enzymes have proven their value in bio-industries such as food, animal feed, leather, textiles as well as in bioconversions and bioremediations. Glucose isomerase (GI) catalyzes the reversible isomerization of glucose to fructose in-vitro and that of xylose to xylulose in-vivo. The enzyme has the largest market in the food industry because of its application in production of high fructose corn syrup. Naturally present many microorganisms have the ability to produce glucose isomerase enzyme. The present study was aimed to screen the bacterial isolates for extracellular glucose isomerase activity. Agriculture soil samples were collected from Badgaon and Bari, Udaipur. Isolation was done on nutrient agar plate using pour plate method. Screening of the isolates for glucose isomerase production was done on screening medium containing 1% glucose and the enzyme activity was tested with Seliwanoff’s reagent. The observation was made to check the substrate utilized and formation of cherry red colour which indicates the presence of fructose. A total of 20 numbers isolates were recovered on nutrient agar. Out of 20, only five isolates showed cherry red color on addition of Seliwanoff’s reagent which indicates the production of fructose. The isolates that showed glucose isomerase activity can be further explored for quantitative analysis for the production of glucose isomerase and may be proved as possible candidates for commercial production of high fructose corn syrup.

Keywords: Glucose isomerase (GI), enzymes, bioconversion, Seliwanoff’s reagent, HFCS.