Effect of Critical Medium Components on Protease and Agarase Production from Pigmented Marine Pseudoalteromonas species

The present study was attempted for bioprospecting of pigmented marine Pseudoalteromonas species with special reference to enzymes. Totally 36 pigmented bacterial colonies were isolated from sediment and water samples collected from Pichavaram, Parangipettai and Muttukadu coastal areas and characterized. Based on the studied phenotypic characteristics 10 isolates were identified as Pseudoalteromonas species. All the isolates were screened for enzymatic activities such as lipase, protease, amylase, cellulase, agarase, L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase. Most of the isolates showed protease (7), amylase (7) and agarase (7) activity. Protease and agarase from the active isolates were produced using submerged fermentation and its activity was semi quantitatively assayed at different time period. Effect of critical medium components on protease and agarase production from two potential strains S2B17 and S6B1 was tested by adopting one factor at a time method. Almost all the tested variables, except pH 10, influenced protease production by the strain S2B17. Agarase production from strain S6B1 was influenced by glucose, casein, 0.4% agar and pH 10. Dialysate of protease and agarase showed 25 mm and 19 mm zone of clearance in semi quantitative assay. The present study evidenced that the existence of enzyme producing pigmented Pseudoalteromonas species in Indian oceans and this report is an inventory for bioprospecting of marine Pseudoalteromonas.