Screening and Characterization of Cold-Active β-Galactosidase Producing Psychrotrophic Enterobacter ludwigii from the Sediments of Arctic Fjord

Abstract

Low-temperature-tolerant microorganisms and their cold-active enzymes could be an innovative and invaluable tool in various industrial applications. In the present study, bacterial isolates from the sediment samples of Kongsfjord, Norwegian Arctic, were screened for β-galactosidase production. Among the isolates, KS25, KS85, KS60, and KS92 have shown good potential in β-galactosidase production at 20 °C. 16SrRNA gene sequence analysis revealed the relatedness of the isolates to Enterobacter ludwigii. The optimum growth temperature of the isolate was 25 °C. The isolate exhibited good growth and enzyme production at a temperature range of 15-35 °C, pH 5-10. The isolate preferred yeast extract and lactose for the maximum growth and enzyme production at conditions of pH 7.0, temperature of 25 °C, and agitation speed of 100 rpm. The growth and enzyme production was stimulated by Mn²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and strongly inhibited by Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu⁺. β-Galactosidases with high specific activity at low temperatures are very beneficial in food industry to compensate the nutritional problem associated with lactose intolerance. The isolate exhibited a remarkable capability to utilize clarified whey, an industrial pollutant, for good biomass and enzyme yield and hence could be well employed in whey bioremediation.

Keywords: Bioremediation; Cold-active β-galactosidase; Enterobacter sp.; Lactose intolerance; Psychrotrophs; Whey.