MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF β-AGARASE PRODUCED BY SPHINGOMONAS PAUCIMOBILIS, A MARINE BACTERIUM

Abstract

Agarases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of agar. The present study was carried out to isolate the agar degrading microorganisms from marine source. The characterization of agar degrading organism was done by VITEK 2.0 automated instrument, which confirmed the sample as Spinghomonas paucimobilis by a set of 64 biochemical tests. Production of agarase, an extracellular enzyme was done in mineral salt broth with agar and the enzyme was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined by SDS-PAGE method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was done to authenticate the degree of degradation of agar. The presence of agarase gene was targeted using the required primers and amplified by Polymerase chain reaction. Also the study addresses the problem of solid waste generation of agar waste by any microbiological laboratories and industries.