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New search for pectolytic yeasts
1Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Folia Microbiologica
|January 1, 1994
Summary
A novel method efficiently screens microorganisms for pectin-depolymerizing enzymes using pectin precipitation. This technique identified numerous positive strains across various yeast genera, aiding in enzyme discovery.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Enzymology
Background:
- Pectin-depolymerizing enzymes are crucial for biotechnological applications.
- Efficient screening methods are needed to identify microorganisms producing these enzymes.
- Citrus pectin is a common substrate for these enzymes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a new screening method for identifying pectin-depolymerizing microorganisms.
- To assess the frequency of pectin-depolymerizing enzyme secretion in various yeast and yeast-like genera.
Main Methods:
- A novel screening assay utilizing citrus pectin precipitation with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide.
- Solidified medium with bacterial gelling gum to visualize non-precipitated pectin.
- Screening of 300 yeast and yeast-like microorganisms across 52 genera.
Main Results:
- The method successfully identified 69 positive strains out of 207 tested, belonging to 13 different genera.
- High frequencies of enzyme secretion were observed in Aureobasidium, Cryptococcus, Geotrichum, Kluyveromyces, Rhodosporidium, Leucosporidium, Trichosporon, and Ustilago.
- Lower frequencies were noted in the genus Candida.
Conclusions:
- The developed screening method is effective for identifying pectin-depolymerizing microorganisms.
- Significant variation in enzyme secretion frequency exists among different yeast genera.
- Further identification of high-yielding strains for industrial applications is warranted.