Abstract :
Mangrove sediments, due to their unique environment, are considered to be a crucial habitat in identifying
yeast strains with potent industrial, biotechnological and bioremediation properties. The present study
investigates the distribution and hydrolytic enzyme potential of yeast isolates from North Kerala with
respect to changes in seasonal and sediment characteristics. Sediment samples were collected from 8
locations spreading in 5 districts along the northern coast of Kerala during monsoon and post monsoon
seasons of a year. The pH of the sediments varied between 6.4 to 7.0, temperature between 21?C – 29?C
and organic matter content between 1.7% SD – 4.2% SD. The number of Colony Forming Units
per milliliter of the sample (CFU/ml) of the cultivable yeasts varied drastically between the seasons. A
total of 233 isolates were studied during the specified period of study, out of which 82% of the isolates
showed various hydrolytic enzyme activities during monsoon while 89% in post monsoon. Lipase and
Ligninase activity was shown by maximum number of isolates. It was found from this study that as
the moisture content and organic matter of the sediment decreased, the CFU/ml of cultivable yeasts
decreased considerably while the number of potent isolates with hydrolytic enzyme activity increased.
The extracellular enzymes produced by yeasts possess variety of applications in industrial processes and
are also very important in the environment due to their capacity of biodegradation. Hence, the present
work attempts to understand the ecological and seasonal influence on the distribution and the bioactivity of
cultivable yeast strains from a unique yet least studied environment like mangroves.
Keyword :
Bioactivity, Conservation, Industrial Processes, Mangroves, Organic matter, Yeast.