Amylolytic, lipolytic and proteolytic activity of Kocuria varians isolated from fermented African oil bean seed (Pentaclethra macrophylla)

Abstract

Kocuria/ Micrococcus species have been implicated as microbialpopulation of fermented African oil bean seed ‘ugba’, but has never beencharacterized and its role in the fermentation not known. In this study Kocuria varians was isolated fromfermented African oil bean seed. The organism could not utilize citrate and wascoagulase, methyl red and oxidase negative. It appeared as deep yellowcircular, entire, convex colonies without hemolytic reaction. The organism wasalkalophilic and moderately halophilic and could utilize a range of substratesas carbon source including soluble starch, bambara nut flour, palm, oil, oliveoil and gelatin. The K. varians isolateproduced extracellular amylase, lipase and protease when grown on variousmedia. Rate of production of these enzymes was dependent on the composition ofthe growth medium. Ability to produce proteolytic, lipolytic and amylolyticenzymes which are required to hydrolyze the major nutrients in African oil beanseed indicates that it could play a role in nutrient availability to thefermenting flora, or in aroma and flavor qualities of the fermented food.