Psychrotrophic lipase producers from Arctic soil and sediment samples

Culturable microorganisms were successfully isolated from soil and sediment samples collected in 2011 on the northern coast of Hornsund, West Spitsbergen. A total of 63 single colony isolates from three sampling sites obtained were subjected to temperature dependence study to assess whether they are obligate psychrophilic or psychrotrophic strains. From initial temperature screening, only 53 psychrotrophic isolates were selected that are capable of growing between 4-28 degrees C. The rest that were capable of tolerating higher temperatures up to 37 degrees C were not included in this study. These isolates were chosen for lipase enzyme screening confirmation with the standard plate assay of olive oil and fluorescent dye Rhodamine B. Six lipase positive isolates were also subjected for subsequent lipase enzyme plate screening on tributyrin, triolein, olive oil and palm oil agar. Lipase production by these six isolates was further assayed by using colorimetric method with palm oil and olive oil as the substrate. These isolates with promising lipase activity ranging from 20 U/ml up to 160 U/ml on palm oil and olive oil substrate were successfully identified. Molecular identification by using 16S rRNA revealed that five out of six isolates were Gram-negative Proteobacteria and the other one was a Gram-positive Actinobacteria.