Abstract
Mangrove sediments, due to their unique environment, are considered to be a crucial habitat in identifying yeast strains with potent industrial, biotechnological and bioremediation properties. The present study investigates the distribution and hydrolytic enzyme potential of yeast isolates from North Kerala with respect to changes in seasonal and sediment characteristics. Sediment samples were collected from 8 locations spreading in 5 districts along the northern coast of Kerala during monsoon and post monsoon seasons of a year. The pH of the sediments varied between 6.4 to 7.0, temperature between 21°C – 29°C and organic matter content between 1.7% ± SD – 4.2% ± SD. The number of Colony Forming Units per milliliter of the sample (CFU/ml) of the cultivable yeasts varied drastically between the seasons. A total of 233 isolates were studied during the specified period of study, out of which 82% of the isolates showed various hydrolytic enzyme activities during monsoon while 89% in post monsoon. Lipase and Ligninase activity was shown by maximum number of isolates. It was found from this study that as the moisture content and organic matter of the sediment decreased, the CFU/ml of cultivable yeasts decreased considerably while the number of potent isolates with hydrolytic enzyme activity increased. The extracellular enzymes produced by yeasts possess variety of applications in industrial processes and are also very important in the environment due to their capacity of biodegradation. Hence, the present work attempts to understand the ecological and seasonal influence on the distribution and the bioactivity of cultivable yeast strains from a unique yet least studied environment like mangroves.
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