Isolation and Biochemical Characterization of Exopolysaccharide Producing Microbes

The present work was undertaken for isolation of exopolysaccharide (EPS) producing bacteria from soil and to optimize the medium. Exopolysaccharide producing four bacterial isolates was carried out from fertile soil of North Gujarat region with enrichment isolation technique. Isolate four was reported best for EPS production with dry weight technique. The characterization of isolates were carried out by morphological, physiological &biochemical tests followed by the identification of genus of the strain by GIDEON (Global Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology Network). Four isolates were Gram positive, rod shape with round ends. Additionally, our biochemical tests showed the occurence of Actinomyces, Propionibacterium and Bacillus species. Bacillus spp. was found to be the more dominant as it showed maximum EPS of 100 g/L after 96 h of incubation in nutrient broth containing 20% sucrose in comparison to Glucose Yeast Extract and Casein hydrolysate medium. For higher production of EPS pH of the broth between 7 and 8 was found to be optimum. The objective of study was exopolysaccharide extraction so that exopolysaccharide can be extracted from the broth.