Molecular Characterization of a New Bacterial Source of Naringinase as Paenibacillus stellifer RAMCM-44 and Fermentative Production of Naringinase at Shake-Flask Level

Aim/Background: Naringin is an important flavonoid present naturally in the citrus fruits. It contributes bitterness to the citrus fruit juices. Biologically, the naringin mediated bitterness can be reduced by naringinase mediated hydrolysis of naringin. The naringinase is an enzyme complex that hydrolyses naringin and produces tasteless product naringenin. Materials and Methods: In current study, naringinase producing microbial strains (bacteria) were isolated from soil adjacent to the citrus plants roots (rhizosphere) and screened for their naringinase producing potential. The higher naringinase producing bacterial strain RAMCM-44 was characterized by 16s rRNA gene sequencing, phylogenetic analysis. The fermentative production of naringinase was studied at shake-flask level and optimized by one-variable-at-a-time method. Results and Conclusion: Naringinase producing bacterial strain was isolated and characterized to be Paenibacillus stellifer. The bacterial strain was able to produce naringinase in response to both naringin as well as citrus peel powder as raw substrate. The Paenibacillus sp. has not been explored widely and remained to be studied extensively. This is first report on production of naringinase from Paenibacillus stellifer and adds to existing knowledge about Paenibacillus stellifer.