Molecular Characterization of a New Bacterial Source of Naringinase as Paenibacillus stellifer RAMCM-44 and Fermentative Production of Naringinase at Shake-Flask Level

Abstract

Aim/Background: Naringin is an important flavonoid present naturally in citrus fruits. It contributes bitterness to citrus fruit juices. Biologically, the naringin-mediated bitterness can be reduced by naringinase-mediated hydrolysis of naringin. Naringinase is an enzyme complex that hydrolyzes naringin and produces the tasteless product naringenin.Materials and Methods: In the current study, naringinase-producing microbial strains (bacteria) were isolated from soil adjacent to citrus plant roots (rhizosphere) and screened for their naringinase-producing potential. The higher naringinase-producing bacterial strain RAMCM-44 was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The fermentative production of naringinase was studied at the shake-flask level and optimized by the one-variable-at-a-time method. Results and Conclusion: A naringinase-producing bacterial strain was isolated and characterized as Paenibacillus stellifer. The bacterial strain was able to produce naringinase in response to both naringin and citrus peel powder as a raw substrate. Paenibacillus sp. has not been widely explored and remains to be studied extensively. This is the first report on the production of naringinase from Paenibacillus stellifer and adds to existing knowledge about Paenibacillus stellifer.

Keywords: Naringinase; Paenibacillus stellifer; 16S rRNA gene sequence; Fermentation; Media Optimization