INDUSTRIAL ENZYMES FROM MARINE MICROORGANISMS - THE INDIAN SCENARIO

Microbial enzymes have been used in various industries for many centur ies. Recently, with the advent of biotechnology, there has been a grow ing interest in and demand for enzymes with novel properties. Currentl y, microbes from terrestrial sources are employed for industrial produ ction of enzymes, although the potential for synthesis of several nove l enzymes by marine microorganisms has been recognized. In India, over the past two decades, a number of studies have been made on detection of enzymes including phosphates, arylsulfatase, chitinase, L-asparagi nase, L-glutaminase, amylase, protease, Lipase, cellulase, urease, and lactamase produced by marine bacteria, cyanobacteria, and funji. Howe ver, their large-scale production was not attempted. In our laboratory we have optimized production of L-glutaminase, an antileukemic and fl avor-enhancer, by marine Vibrio costicola and Pseudomonas fluorescens; and chitinase by Pseudomonas pseudomallei and Streptoverticillium sp. , employing both submerged and solid-state fermentation processes. Res ults suggest that there is scope for industrial production of these en zymes.