Production of phytate-hydrolyzing enzymes by thermophilic moulds

Abstract

138 isolates of thermophilic/thermotolerant moulds were isolated from soil, straw and compost samples, collected from various regions of India. Among the thermophilic fungal isolates screened for the secretion of phytase (phytate-hydrolyzing enzyme), Sporotrichum thermophile BJTLR50 produced a very high enzyme titre at pH 5.0, 45°C and 250 rpm in 5 days with an inoculum level of 1 × 10⁷ spores per 50 ml medium prepared from 6 days old culture. Glucose and ammonium sulphate supported higher phytase production than other carbon and nitrogen sources. The phytase of S. thermophile was optimally active at pH 5.0 and 60°C. An overall 2-fold improvement in the phytase production was achieved due to optimization.

Key words: Phytic acid, phytase, thermophilic moulds, Sporotrichum thermophile, Humicola lanuginosa, submerged fermentation, optimization.