Abstract
A halotolerant fungal isolate Aspergillus tubingensis GR1 was isolated from the man-made solar saltern located at Khambhat, Gujarat, India, and identified using 28S rDNA partial genome sequencing. This isolate was studied for β-galactosidase production under solid state fermentation using wheat bran and deproteinized acid cheese whey. The influence of various agro-industrial wastes, nitrogen source and other growth conditions on β-galactosidase production was investigated using ‘one-factor-at-a-time’ approach. Among various variables screened along with wheat bran and deproteinized acid cheese whey as major growth substrate, corn steep liquor and MgSO4 were found to be most significant. The optimum concentrations of these significant parameters were determined employing the response surface central composite design, revealing corn steep liquor concentration (2 mL) and magnesium sulphate (50 mg) per 5 g of wheat bran and 20 mL of deproteinized acid cheese whey for highest enzyme production (15,936 U/gds). These results suggest the feasibility of industrial large-scale production of β-galactosidase known to be valuable in whey hydrolysis and removal of galactosyl residue from polysaccharide.
Highlights
India being an agriculture-dominant country produces more than 500 million tons of crop residues annually (MNRE 2009)
The b-galactosidase production using different agroindustrial wastes under SSF by A. tubingensis GR1 b-galactosidase production was carried out initially using various agro-industrial wastes viz. wheat bran, rice polishing waste, cabbage leaves, orange peel, sugarcane baggase and deoiled groundnut seed cake as substrate and moistened with two different moistening medium i.e. distilled water and deproteinized acid cheese whey at 1:3 ratio of substrate to moistening medium under SSF at 28 ± 3 °C temperature (Fig. 2a)
We found that wheat bran along with deproteinized cheese whey induces elevated level of b-galactosidase compared to wheat bran alone
Summary
India being an agriculture-dominant country produces more than 500 million tons of crop residues annually (MNRE 2009). These residues are used as animal feed, for thatching of homes, and as a source of domestic and industrial fuel. Non-availability of labour, high cost of residue removal from the field and increasing use of combines in harvesting the crops are main reasons behind burning of crop residues in the fields. India is the leading producer of milk in the world; about 2 and 1.5 million tons of channa and paneer (cottage cheese), respectively, are produced annually and during their production, about 75–85 % of the volume of milk is removed as whey (Aneja et al 2002).
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