
Isolation of an agricultural soil agarolytic Flavobacterium sp. AT2 and its agarase characterization
This study aimed to isolate a novel agarase-producing soil bacterium and characterize its agarose, which is known to produce biofunctional agarooligosaccharides or neo-agarooligosaccharides. A novel agar-degrading bacterium, namely AT2, was isolated from the agricultural soil and the enzyme activity was identified on a specific medium. The 16S rRNA nucleotide sequence represented 99% identity with that of the members of the Flavobacterium genus; hence, the isolated bacterium was named as Flavobacterium sp. AT2. The extracellular agarase reached maximum activity at 22.79 U/mL under the following culture conditions: 10% (v/v) inoculum size, shaking rate 210 rpm after 72 h incubation. The optimum conditions of the agarase activity were pH 7.0 and 60°C in 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer. The molecular mass of the purified agarase was 180 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The extracellular agarase hydrolyzed seaweed with the highest yield of 423.58 ± 33.75 µg/mL reducing sugar released after 24 h. Thus, Flavobacterium sp. AT2 and its enzyme could be practical for applications in food, cosmetic, and medical studies
Dang Thi Thanh Ha, Trinh Thi Phuong Thao, Le Thi Kim Thoa, Tran Trung Dung, Truong Thi Phuong Lan, Nguyen Thi Minh Nga, Nguyen Duc Huy (2023). Isolation of an agricultural soil agarolytic Flavobacterium sp. AT2 and its agarase characterization. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research. 21: 3911-3922.

