Isolation, Screening and Identification of a potent tannase producing bacteria from the rhizospheric soil of Casia Species

A potent tannase producing bacterial strain was isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Casia species and was identified as Bacillus haynesii strain SSRY4 (Genbank Accession Number MN031245). Various environment samples were inoculated in enrichment liquid media containing 1% (w/v) tannic acid for 48 hrs. Upon plating of appropriately diluted culture aliquots on tannic acid agar plates, only few of them developed bacterial colonies showing clearly visible zone of tannic acid hydrolysis around them. Zones of hydrolysis were measured in mm. Eight bacterial colonies showing maximum tannic acid hydrolysis zone around them were selected. Pure cultures were developed by repeated streaking on nutrient agar plates. The isolates were then screened for their ability to produce tannase in submerged conditions. Upon quantitative estimation of tannase production, only three isolates SSRY 1, SSRY2 and SSRY4 showed considerably good enzyme activities of 1.37 U/ml, 1.29 U/ml and 1.56 U/ml respectively. Various morphological and microscopic features of the bacterial isolate SSRY4 were studied and a gram positive, rod shaped bacterium was confirmed. 16s rRNA sequencing results confirmed its identity as Bacillus haynesii strain SSRY4 (Genbank Accession Number MN031245).