Antimicrobial Activity of a Novel Pichia membranifaciens Strain Isolated from Naturally Fermented Cashew Apple Juice

Abstract

Yeasts form a natural and dominant surface flora on the cashew apple and fermented cashew apple juice due to its rich nutritional content. In the present study, yeast flora from naturally fermented cashew apple juice was studied. Based on different colony characters on potato dextrose agar, 11 different types of yeasts were isolated. The yeast strain ICARG 16 was further characterized and based on morphological, biochemical and 26S rDNA sequencing. The strain was identified as Pichia membranifaciens. The antimicrobial activity of cell free extract of the strain ICARG 16 was studied against Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 1144 and found to inhibit the growth of the pathogen. The isolate could tolerate 10 % of ethanol, showed growth at 27 °C, in 50 % glucose. The strain did not exhibit amylase, protease, pectinase and cellulase activity, however, it showed urease activity. Thus the naturally occurring yeast isolates P. membranifaciens ICARG16 may be of pharmaceutical interest.