Optimization of Protease Production and Antimicrobial Activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa RGT01 Isolated from Mangrove Sediments of Vellar Estuary
TL;DR
It is demonstrated that mangrove-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa RGT01 is a promising source of extracellular protease and antimicrobial compounds with potential industrial and pharmaceutical applications.
Abstract
In this study, bacteria were isolated from mangrove sediments of Vellar estuary and screened for extracellular enzyme production. Among the twenty bacterial isolates obtained, Pseudomonas aeruginosa RGT01 isolate exhibited the highest proteolytic activity and was selected for further optimization. The highest proteolytic activity was observed at 1.5% NaCl concentration, pH 8, 35°C and 48 h incubation period, with lactose serving as the most suitable carbon source. Under optimized conditions, the isolate produced a maximum zone of clearance of 9.7 ± 0.4 mm on skim milk agar plates. The crude extract obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa RGT01 exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against several clinical bacterial and fungal pathogens. The highest antibacterial activity was observed against Streptococcus sp. (23 mm), while the strongest antifungal activity was recorded against Aspergillus fumigatus (31 mm). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed the presence of various functional groups, including alcohols, phenols, alkanes, carbonyl compounds and aromatic derivatives, indicating the presence of bioactive metabolites. The findings of this study demonstrate that mangrove-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa RGT01 is a promising source of extracellular protease and antimicrobial compounds with potential industrial and pharmaceutical applications.