Screening and Biochemical Characterization of Indigenous Polyhydroxyalkanoates Producing Bacteria

Exploration for promising polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) producers is a continuous process as effort to mitigate the accumulation of synthetic plastic is on the rise. The present study focuses on isolation of indigenous polyhydroxyalkanoates producing bacteria from soil, waste water effluent and organic waste sample of Obio-Akpor, LGA. Screening of the selected bacteria isolates for polyhydroxyalkanoates production was based on viable plate method followed by microscopic visualization using Sudan black B. The PHA producing abilities of the selected isolates were estimated by gravimetric method and the positive isolates were detected for the presence of PHA synthase gene and identified up to genus level. Results revealed that out of 106 isolates, 55 were suspected to accumulate PHA after screening and produced PHA in the range of 0.2-1.1 g/L. Six potential isolates produced highest PHA yield and their phaC genes were successfully amplified from genomic DNA. Based on morphological, cultural and biochemical characteristics, the six isolates were tentatively identified to the genus Bacillus sp, Lysinibacillus sp and Pseudomonas sp. The result of the present study indicated that these bacterial isolates have the potential of producing PHA and their potential harnessed for future purposes.