ISOLATION, SCREENING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FUNGI FROM ROTTEN POMELO (CITRUS MAXIMA) FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DEBITTERING ENZYME NARINGINASE

The present research has been focused on isolation, identification and characterization of new isolate of fungi isolated from rotten pomelo (Citrus maxima), which was able to produce an extracellular debittering enzyme naringinase. The identification of the isolated fungus was based on 18S rRNA gene sequencing analysis and internal transcribed spacer region. The isolated fungi Aspergillus sp. SK01 was found to be capable of producing naringinase enzyme in liquid medium through submerged fermentation and produced enzyme was partially purified, identified, and characterized. The optimum conditions for enzyme production were pH 5.0, temperature 28±2°C, naringin (0.5%), and time 10 days. The activity of the crude enzyme was found 1.63 IU/ml at optimum value of pH 4.0, temperature 50°C in 4 hrs.