An efficient and improved methodology for the screening of industrially valuable xylano-pectino-cellulolytic microbes

Abstract

Xylano-pectino-cellulolytic enzymes are valuable enzymes of the industrial sector. In our earlier study, we have reported a novel and cost effective methodology for the qualitative screening of cellulase-free xylano-pectinolytic microorganisms by replacing the commercial, highly expensive substrates with agricultural residues, but the microorganisms with xylanolytic, pectinolytic, cellulolytic, xylano-pectinolytic, xylano-cellulolytic, pectino-cellulolytic, and xylano-pectino-cellulolytic potential were obtained. The probability of getting the desired combination was low, so efforts were made to further improve this cost effective methodology for obtaining the high yield of the microbes capable of producing desired combination of enzymes. By inclusion of multiple enrichment steps in sequence, using only practically low cost substrates and without any nutrient media till primary screening stage, this improved novel protocol for screening gave only the desired microorganisms with xylano-pectino-cellulolytic activity. Using this rapid, efficient, cost effective, and improved methodology, microbes with required combination of enzymes can be obtained and the probability of getting the desired microorganisms is cent percent. This is the first report presenting the methodology for the isolation of xylano-pectino-cellulolytic positive microorganisms at low cost and consuming less time.

Figure 1

Zone of substrate hydrolysis shown on (a) wheat bran; (b) xylan; (c) citrus peel; (d) pectin; (e) waste paper; (f) CMC by xylano-pectino-cellulolytic bacterial isolate AVS13 and zone of substrate hydrolysis produced by a known xylanase producer Bacillus stearothermophilus on (g) wheat bran, (h) xylan; a known pectinase producer Bacillus subtilis on (i) citrus peel, (j) pectin; and a known cellulase producer Flavobacterium bolustinum on (k) waste paper, (l) CMC.