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Isolation, Screening and Identification of Yeast for Pectinolytic Activity

RITU SAHARAN AND KANTI PRAKASH SHARMA*
Department of Biological Sciences, Mody University of Science and Technology, Lakshmangarh, Sikar-332 311
(Rajasthan), India
*(e-mail : kantipsharma@gmail.com; Mobile : 9829659294)
(Received : June 16, 2019; Accepted : August 18, 2019)

ABSTRACT

Pectinolytic enzymes break down pectin, an important component of fruit cell wall. Preparations containing pectin-degrading enzymes have been extensively used in the clarification of fruit juices and wines. Currently, they are widely used in industry for retting of natural fibers and extraction of oils from vegetable and citrus peels. There are numerous reports of pectinolytic microorganisms but among them information about yeast which can work at neutral pH is very little. In the present investigation, yeast was isolated and tested for pectinolytic activity by plate assay, pectin lyase assay and polygalacturonase assay. Zone of clearance was observed in plate assay as an indicator of pectin lysis. Effect of carbon sources, nitrogen sources, pH and temperature was analyzed. The organism showed optimum pH and temperature at 7.0 and 40°C,
respectively. Maximum activity was observed with 1% pectin, 0.1% glucose and 0.2% peptone. The isolate was identified by 26s rDNA sequencing as Hyphopichia burtonii. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of isolation of H. burtonii from papaya fruit for pectinolytic activity.
Key words : Pectin, pectin lyase, polygalacturonase, optimization