International Journal of Scientific Research and Reviews Bio prospecting Halo alkalotolerent Bacteria from Lonar Crater for Production of Carotenoids (original) (raw)

Carotenoids are yellow, orange and red pigments distributed in variety of bacteria. Carotenoids are currently produced as constituents in the vitamins and dietary supplements for human and animal consumption. Total 40 red, yellow and orange pigmented bacteria were primarily screened from 20 different samples of soil, mud, sediment and water collected from different sites of a natural extreme source of Lonar Crator. All bacteria were isolated at pH 8.5 using Nutrient agar. Based on intensity of pigmentation 34 bacterial isolates were selected for secondary screening. Screening was done on the basis of pH (6-12) and salt (NaCl) tolerance (2-6%). From selected isolates, 12 bacteria have potential to grow and produced intense pigments up to pH 12 and 6% salt. The methanol extract of pigment gave characteristics lambda max at different wave length viz. 472 nm,443 nm,475 nm, 449 nm and 468 nm which corresponds to absorption maxima (λmax) near to known carotenoids viz. Astaxanthin (472nm), Zeaxanthin (443nm), B-Carotene (450nm) and Canthaxanthin (470nm-474nm). A potential SL 2 * bacterium was selected having ability to produce Astaxanthin, with 2.8 degree of pigmentation/g wet weight and 53% free radical scavenging activity. Screened strain of SL 2 * will be optimised to produce high yield of carotenoids for application studies in food and feed as source of pro-vitamin A and antioxidant.