Functional screening of β-Glucanase Producing Actinomycetes Strains from Western Ghats ecosystems of Kerala, India

Screening of potential soil actinomycetes is static at infant phase because less than one part of soil biodiversity has been explored. An important factor considered before isolating microorganisms with potential application is understanding the biodiversity and environmental features associated with growth. Search of distinctive enzymes from unusual ecological habitats are highly fascinating and have great opportunities that may also pointed the developments in high throughput screening programs. In the present study Western Ghats hot spot regions of Kerala has been explored for the actinomycetes strains with beta glucanase activity. A total of 127 actinomycetes strains were isolated. After qualitative primary screening 106 strains (83%) produced exo-β-1,4-glucanase enzyme and 79 strains (62%) produced endo-β-1,3-glucanase enzyme. The quantitative secondary screening confirmed the strains TBG-MR17 and TBG-AL13 recognised as respective dominant producers of exo-β-1,4-glucanase and endo-β-1,3-glucanase enzymes. The study reveals the richness of the Western Ghats soils with innumerable actinomycetes having potential β-glucanase activities.