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The STUDIA UNIVERSITATIS BABEŞ-BOLYAI issue article summary
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Abstract: Since most industrial processes are characterised by harsh physicochemical conditions that rapidly inactivate enzymes from mesophiles, current studies are geared towards the detection of extremophilic microorganisms producing enzymes that exhibit optimal activities in extreme ranges of salt concentration, temperature and pH. Halophilic microorganisms are an important source of salt-tolerant hydrolytic enzymes that can be used in bioremediation processes and in various biotechnological applications. In this context, the aim of our research is to screen the halophilic microorganisms producing hydrolases, isolated from the Atacama Desert, the driest and oldest desert on Earth. In order to isolate halophilic microorganisms, suspensions of salt crystals from the Atacama Desert in dilute salt solutions were inoculated on growth media like MH, JCM168, YGC, MEA and BG11. Screening of isolates for extracellular hydrolases (amylase, protease, cellulase, lipase, inulinase, pectinase) was performed on different assay media supplemented with specific substrates (starch, casein, carboxymethyl cellulose, Tween 80, inulin, pectin). Some isolates were selected with respect to their potential of producing hydrolases and studied in detail. The results of the present study represent a preliminary, but essential, step to identify novel biological sources of salt-tolerant enzymes, which would be of great importance particularly in biotechnology. Further investigations should be directed towards the biochemical characterization of these extremozymes and the cloning of encoding genes in order to elucidate the salt tolerance mechanisms and to obtain the best hydrolases producers, respectively.
Keywords: Atacama Desert, halophiles, hydrolytic enzymes, salt tolerance. |
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