ISOLATION, SCREENING AND IDENTIFICATION OF PECTINASE-PRODUCING BACTERIAL STRAIN BACILLUS CEREUS FROM MARINE SEDIMENT SAMPLES

Marine environment is an enormous pool of biodiversity resources that cover approximately 70% surface of the earth. Marine microorganisms have unique properties since they have to adapt to extreme marine environmental conditions in deep-sea water. The present study aims to isolate, screen and identify bacterial strains from marine sediment samples that produce an enzyme pectinase with clinical and industrial applications. Marine sediment samples were collected and cultured on zobell marine agar medium. After incubation, five bacterial strains were screened for pectinase activity. Two isolates showed pectinase activity on Yeast Extract Pectin (YEP) medium. Morphological and biochemical characteristics of pectinase-producing organisms were done. Pectinase-producing bacterial strain (PE S7C) was selected based on their pectinase test. The selected strain PES7C was further sequenced for identification. The phylogenetic characterization and 16S rRNA of the strain PE S7C revealed that bacterial cultures belong to Bacillus cereus. The morphological studies indicated that the isolate was Gram ₊ve, rod-shaped and motile organism. The present study concludes that marine bacteria can be a source of pectinase with important applications.