Characterization of snake scat flora for production of protease, keratinase and esterase enzymes

Snakes are reptiles found in diverse geographical conditions and are known to ingest their prey lacking the step of chewing. The indiginous microbiota of snake must be elevating its digestive efficiency through secretion of various enzymes which may prove significant for industrial applications as well. In present study, scat samples of 12 snakes were collected from Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Katraj, Pune for isolation of snake scat flora. Samples were spread plated on nutrient agar, trypticase soya agar, yeast peptone dextrose agar, brain heart infusion agar, salmonella shigella agar and ravan agar. 371 morphologically distinct isolates were obtained and screened qualitatively for protease, keratinase and esterase using skim milk agar, feather meal agar and tributyrin agar respectively. Among the isolates, 46% were positive for protease, 22% were positive for keratinase and maximum isolates i.e. 85%, were positive for esterase. 20% of total isolates showed production of all three enzymes. The first five isolates showing largest zone of clearance in qualitative assays were characterized quantitatively for protease and keratinase. Results obtained indicate that snake scat flora is a large untapped reservoir of industrially important microbial enzymes and can be a potential resource for degradation of animal tissue waste generated from slaughter house and poultry industries.

PROMOCIÓN DEL CRECIMIENTO DE Baccharis macrantha (ASTERACEAE) CON BACTERIAS SOLUBILIZADORAS DE FOSFATOS ASOCIADAS A SU RIZOSFERA

<p>El objetivo de esta investigación fue aislar y caracterizar bacterias solubilizadoras de fosfatos (BSF) asociadas a la rizosfera de <em>Baccharis macrantha </em>y <em>Viburnum triphyllum,</em> y evaluar su capacidad para solubilizar fosfatos en condiciones <em>in vitro</em>. Además se determinó el efecto de la inoculaciónde las cepas de BSF más eficientes sobre el crecimiento de <em>B. macrantha</em>. Las muestras de suelo rizosférico de <em>B. macrantha </em>y <em>V. triphyllum </em>fueron colectadas en los meses de mayo-período de lluvia y septiembre-período seco del 2012. Para la cuantificación de bacterias heterótrofas cultivables y BSF se empleó el método de recuento en placa en los medios Agar Tripticasa de Soya y Pikovskaya (PVK) respectivamente. La capacidad de solubilización de fosfatos de las cepas aisladas se estimó a partir del diámetro de los halos formados alrededor de las colonias en el medio de cultivo PVK después de 7 días de incubación a 28 °C. Los ensayos de inoculación en <em>B. macrantha </em>se realizaron con las BSF más eficientes<em>. </em>La inoculación de las BSF <em>B. firmus y P. fluorescens</em> de forma individual y como inoculante combinado mostro un efecto benéfico, incrementando significativamente el porcentaje de germinación de semillas, la altura de la plántula, la longitud de la raíz y el peso seco de <em>B. macrantha</em>. La inoculación de BSF podría ser considerada una estrategia para mejorar el crecimiento y establecimiento de <em>B. macrantha</em> en pastizales abandonados.</p><p><strong>Growth Promotion of <em>Baccharis macrantha </em>(Asteraceae) by Phosphate Solubilizing Rhizosphere Bacteria</strong> </p><p>The objectives of this research was to isolate and characterize phosphate solubilizing bacteria (BSF) associated to the rhizosphere of <em>Baccharis macrantha</em> and <em>Viburnum triphyllum</em>, and to assess their ability to solubilize phosphate under conditions in vitro. Furthermore to determine the effect of inoculation of the strains BSF more efficient on the growth of <em>B. macrantha</em>. Rhizosphere soil samples of <em>B. macrantha</em> and <em>V. triphyllum </em>were collected in the months of May-rainy season and September-period dry the 2012. Trypticase Soya Agar and Pikovskaya (PVK) were used for quantification of culturable heterotrophic bacteria and BSF, respectively. The phosphate solubilizing capacity of the isolated strains was estimated from the diameter of the halo around the colonies formed in the culture medium PVK after 7 days incubation at 28 °C. Inoculation assays were performed with more efficient BSF in <em>B. macrantha. </em>Inoculation of BSF <em>Bacillus firmus</em> and <em>Pseudomona fluorescens </em>individually and as inoculant combined showed a beneficial effect, significantly increasing the percentage of seed germination, seedling height, root length and dry weight of <em>B . macrantha</em>. Inoculation the BSF could be considered a strategy to improve the growth and development of <em>B. macrantha</em> in abandoned pastures</p>

ISOLASI Pasteurella multocida PADA KUDA DAN SENSITIVITASNYA TERHADAP ANTIBIOTIK

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengisolasi Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) pada kuda dan mengetahui sensitivitasnya terhadap beberapa antibiotik. Sebanyak 7 ekor kuda tipe cold blood (2 ekor dari Fakultas Kedokteran Hewan Universitas Syiah Kuala dan 5 ekor dari daerah makam Syiah Kuala) diambil sebagai sampel penelitian. Mukosa hidung kuda diambil dengan cotton swab steril. Pasteurellamultocida diidentifikasi mengikuti metode Carter. Sampel ditanam pada media nutrient broth (NB), diinokulasi pada media trypticase soya agar (TSA), dan diinkubasikan selama 24 jam dengan temperatur 37°C. Koloni terpisah diwarnai dengan pewarnaan Gram dan pewarnaan spora. Koloni diuji dengan uji katalase, biokimia, sulfit indol motility (SIM), gula-gula, dan ditanam pada media Mac Conkey Agar. Sensitivitas P. multocida diuji berdasarkan zona hambat terhadap antibiotik ampisilin, kanamisin, dan streptomisin pada media Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA). Hasil menunjukan bahwa P. multocida berhasil diisolasi dari 2 ekor kuda yang dipelihara di daerah makam Syiah Kuala. Pasteurella multocida tidak ditemukan pada kuda yang dipelihara di Fakultas Kedokteran Hewan, Universitas Syiah Kuala. Rata-rata zona hambat kedua isolat P. multocida terhadap ampisilin adalah 24,83 dan 25,16 mm. Zona hambat terhadap kanamisin adalah 15 dan 14,5mm. Zona hambat streptomisin adalah 12,16 dan 13,33 mm. Kedua isolat P. multocida sensitif terhadap ampisilin dan bersifat intermediet terhadap kanamisin dan streptomisin.

Effect of Pomegranate barks solution (Punica granatum L) On some Pathogenic bacteria in vitro

Powder of pomegranate barks (Punica granatum L) was prepared. Different concentration of watery pomegranate solution contain, 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg / ml were prepared Six types of pathogenic bacteria were used. Suspension was made from those bacteria and each type of bacteria contain (10x1 - 10x2) / ml. Those bacteria include Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Klebsiella and Corynebacterium The affect of the plant solution of pomegranate was tested on petri - dishes containing Trypticase Soya agar by diffuse agar method. Equal amount of each type of the tested bacteria was mixed with the varying concentration of plant of pomegranate barks solution. All petri – dishes of the tested bacteria with the pomegranate barks powder were incubated at 37 c for 1-2 days. The result showed that the pomegranate barks solution of 40 mg / ml had the strongest inhibiting zone on all tested types of bacteria, while solution of 20 mg/ml. showed weak inhibiting zone. But the lower concentration showed no inhibiting zone for any of the tested bacteria.