Screening and Optimization of pH and Temperature for Enhanced Chitosanase Production by Bacteria Isolated from Terengganu's East Coast

Abstract

Chitosanase is an enzyme that can cleave chitosan polymers and generally can hydrolyse chitosan to chitosan oligomers and glucosamine as the product of hydrolysis. Chitosan oligosaccharides were traditionally processed in the industry using chemical processes that would cause environmental harm due to high short-chain oligosaccharide production, low oligosaccharide yields and high separation expenses. Revealed that some bacteria are productive in manufacturing chitosanase, which can give advantages such as compatibility with the environment, cost-effectiveness and reproducibility. Thus, it brings to the objective to isolate, screen and identify potential local bacteria chitosanase producers and to study the optimum condition for the production of chitosanase (pH and temperature) which the sample has been collected from ten different coasts near Kuala Terengganu and Besut Terengganu. Methodology: The experiments were performed with four main steps, which were isolation, screening, fermentation, and optimization. There were three analyses that were performed, which were optical density (OD) to measure the cell growth, colony-forming unit (CFU) for cell culturability, and chitosanase assay using the DNS method. Results: The bacteria strain from Pantai Benting Lintang (BL) exhibited the highest chitosanase assay (0.113 U/mL), indicating superior chitosanase production. Optimal conditions for growth and chitosanase production were determined at pH 7.0 (0.127 U/mL) and 28°C (0.19 U/mL). Conclusion: This bacteria strain (BL) proved effectiveness in generating chitosanase, offering a potential alternative to chemical processes in chitosan biodegradation, while minimizing environmental impact. The study's findings contribute valuable insights for future research on environmentally friendly chitosanase-producing bacteria with broader applications in daily life.