Isolation, production and partial purification of fungal extracellular pectinolytic enzymes from the forest soils of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats of Southern India

Isolation of effective industrially important extracellular pectinolytic enzyme producing fungi was done from the forest soil samples, using nutrient enrichment method. Among them, five fungal strains were selected for the production studies, based on the rate of zone of clearance on the pectin agar plates by using Congo red test. Production of pectinlyase and Exo-polygalacturonases were studied under submerged fermentation, pectin broth supplemented with 1% pectin at an optimal condition of temperature 28±1ºC, pH-7.0 for 5 days of incubation under shake culture condition. Enzyme activity and specific activities were measured at an interval of 24 hrs. during the time of incubation. Maximum pectinase activity was showed by Mortierella sp. (5.38±0.08 U/mL) followed by Syncephalastrum recemosum and Aspergillus fumigatus isolates, maximum polygalacturonase activity was by Mortierella sp. (2.22±0.07 U/mL) followed by Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichosporiella cerebriformis than the other isolates at 5th day of incubation. Maximum soluble crude and partially purified proteins were produce by Trichosporiella cerebriformis and Syncephalastrum recemosum at 5th day of incubation.