Newly Isolated Bacillus gibsonii S-2 Capable of using Sugar Beet Pulp for Alkaline Pectinase Production

Summary A Bacillus strain capable of growing under highly alkaline conditions was isolated from a sample of alkaline soil. The isolate was a Gram-positive, spore-forming, aerobic, alkaliphilic bacterium and was designated as strain S-2. Growth of the strain was observed in the pH range of 7–12 and temperature range of 4–40 °C. Sequence analysis of the 16S rDNA of the strain revealed more than 99% homology with the strains of Bacillus gibsonii. The S-2 strain was confirmed as B. gibsonii by comparing its physiological and biochemical characteristics with the B. gibsonii DSM 8722 strain. The S-2 strain could use sugar beet pulp as the carbon source as well as the pectinase inducer to produce extracellular alkaline pectinase by solid-state fermentation. The maximum polygalacturonase yield of 3600 U/g dry sugar beet pulp was obtained at 35 °C after 48 h of incubation.