ISOLATION, SCREENING AND PRODUCTION OF PHYTATE DEGRADING ENZYME (PHYTASE) FROM LOCAL FUNGI ISOLATE

Abstract

Twenty-six isolates of fungi were isolated from samples of different sources. The isolates were screened for the production of phytase (phytate degrading enzyme) by propagating the isolates on phytase screening medium (PSM) and monitoring the formation of clear zone around their grown colonies. Only thirteen isolates were able to form a clear zone indicating their abilities to produce the phytase enzyme. By subjecting the isolates to the quantitative screening under both solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF), it was found that fungal isolate (G1) which was identified as Aspergillus tubingensis and marked as SKA was the most distinguished one among others by giving enzymatic activity in both methods with values reached (49.83 and 26.53 unit/ml) in SSF and SmF respectively. Phytase of fungal isolate A. tubingensis SKA was carried out by utilizing different substrates and supplements under SSF and SmF and the results showed the superiority of SSF on SmF for the production of phytase especially when wheat bran was used with an enzymatic activity value of (50.35 and 45.42 unit/ml) respectively.