Abstract

METHIONINE PRODUCTION USING NATIVE STARCHES AND PROTEINS IN SUBMERGED FERMENTATION BY BACILLUS CEREUS S8.

C. C. Ezemba*; V. N. Anakwenze; E. J. Archibong; C. G. Anaukwu; Z.C. Obi; C. C. Ekwealor and I. A. Ekwealor

ABSTRACT

Methionine-producing bacteria characterized as Bacillus cereus S8 based on 16s rRNA sequencing isolated from soil in Awka was screened for methionine production in submerged medium using agricultural products. Experimental studies were based on various starch hydrolysates: wheat (Triticum aestivum), sorghum (sorghum bicolor), cassava (Manihot esculenta), cocoyam (Alocasia amazonica), yam (Dioscorea rotundata), plantain (Musa sapientum), millet (Panicum miliaceum), corn (Zea mays), potato (Ipomoea batata), rice (Oryza sativa).) and defatted proteins; pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), cowpea (Vigna sp.), bambaranut (Voandzeia subterranean), groundnut (Arachis hypognea) as carbon and nitrogen sources respectively. Studies on various carbon and nitrogen sources showed that yields of 2.05mg/ml and 2.04mg/ml were achieved with plaintain-starch hydrolysate/groundnut meal and corn-starch hydrolysate/defatted bambara meal respectively after a fermentation period of 96hours.

Keywords: Bacillus cereus, agricultural products, methionine production, fermentation.