Biosynthesis and Partial Characterization of Phytase from Rhizopus, Penicillium and Trichoderma spp. for Industrial Applications

Abstract

Phytases belongs to the family of phosphatase enzymes that are important from industrial perspective. Phytases are produced from a number of sources among which most important are the fungal sources. The present study includes the production of phytase from three fungal strains. The study was initiated by the sampling from various fields and fruit markets from different sites of Punjab and Islamabad and used for the isolation of phytase enzyme. From all samples three phytase producing strains were selected and identified morphologically as well as molecularly. There strains were identified as Rhizopus oligosporous, Penicillium oxalicum and Trichoderma longibrachiatum. All these strains were then subjected to submerged fermentation to analyze their phytase producing ability and different fermentation parameters such as age of spore, pH, temperature, incubation time, and carbon and nitrogen sources were optimized for each fungal isolate to obtain maximum enzyme production. Maximum enzyme production was observed at 3 days spore stage after 120 hours of incubation time, at 25oC temperature, pH 6.0 with carbon source being glucose and peptone as nitrogen source when it was inoculated with P. oxalicum. R. oligosporous gives its high phytase yield by using 3 days spore after 96 hours of incubation time, at 30oC temperature, pH 5.5 with fructose and ammonium sulphate as carbon and nitrogen sources respectively. T. longibrachiatum yields maximum phytase production using 4 days spore after 168 hours of incubation time, at 30oC temperature, pH 5.5 with sucrose as carbon source and ammonium sulphate as nitrogen source. The yield of phytase from Penicillium oxalicum appears to be the important source for enhancing the sustainable and cost effective processes through which phytase can be used in poultry industry.