LIPOLYTIC ENZYME PRODUCTION BY HALOPHILIC/HALOTOLERANT MICROORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM LAGUNA VERDE, BOLIVIA

Abstract

Bacterial strains isolated from water samples from Laguna Verde, Potosi-Bolivia and deposited at Biotechnology Center, Cochabamba-Bolivia, were subjected to lipolytic enzyme production studies. Among these, 10 strains were selected as positive in lipolytic enzyme production in solid medium, using olive oil as sole carbon source. Selected strains were subjected to morphological and biochemical studies. Enzyme production in liquid medium identified strain LV01 as the best enzyme producer with 0.079 U/ml lipolytic activity. Partial purification by ion-exchange chromatography of the lipolytic enzyme, produced by strain LV01, presented specific enzyme activity of 0,138 U/mg of eluted protein with approximately 77 KDa size. Partial characterization of the produced enzyme revealed its display maximum activity values at pH 9, 30°C y 1.7M NaCl , thus exhibiting remarkably haloalkalitolerant properties. The 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis showed 99% similarity between strain LV01 and Bacillus pumilus (embAJ494727).