title: Isolation, morphological and molecular characterization of phytate-hydrolysing fungi by 18S rDNA sequence analysis.
abstract: Phytate is the primary storage form of phosphate in plants. Monogastric animals like poultry, pigs and fishes have very low or no phytase activities in their digestive tracts therefore, are incapable to efficiently utilize phytate phosphorus from the feed. Phytase from microbial sources are supplemented to feedstuff of these to increase the uptake of phytate phosphorus. In the present work efforts were made to isolate and characterize proficient phytase producing fungi from soil. Phytase producing fungi were isolated using phytate specific medium. Fungal isolates were selected according to their higher phytase activities. These isolates were further characterized and identified by morphological and microscopic analysis and confirmed by amplification of 18S rRNA gene, using specific primers. This gene was subsequently sequenced and phylogenetic affiliations were assigned. Fungal isolates were identified as various species of Aspergillus. Phytases from these fungi could be utilized as a feed additive in poultry and swine industries.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Iti
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gontia-Mishra
authors.forename: Dhanshree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
authors.forename: Niraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Khushboo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bardiya-Bhurat
authors.forename: Keerti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tantwai
authors.forename: Sharad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiwari
keywords: 18S rRNA gene; Aspergillus; fungi; phytase; phytate