Molecular characterization of chitinase and β-1, 3-glucanase gene of soybean plant growth promoting bacterium Bacillus sp. SJ-5

Plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) colonize the rhizosphere of many plant species and confer beneficial effects, such as increased plant growth and reduced susceptibility to diseases caused by plant pathogenic fungi. The aim of the present study was to molecularly characterize the presence of biocontrol gene chitinase and β-1, 3-glucanase of the Bacillus sp. SJ-5 to understand its role in fungal pathogen inhibition. Genomic DNA was isolated from Bacillus sp. SJ-5 and chitinase and β-1, 3-glucanase gene were amplified using specific primers. On the agarose gel 402 pb and750 bp bands were detected for chitinase and β-1, 3-glucanase respectively. Upon homology analysis it confirms the presence of chitinase and β-1, 3-glucanase gene in SJ-5 and sequences submitted to Genbank. The study indicates the potential of this PGPB to inhibit fungal pathogen through cell wall degrading enzymes production

In vitro screening for salinity and drought stress tolerance in plant growth promoting bacterial strains

The present study was designed to elevate the in vitro bacterial mechanisms related to the plant growth promotion and their tolerance for sodium chloride (NaCl) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in culture media. Total nine bacterial strains were studied for both stress tolerance under varying concentration of NaCl and PEG. Out of them, three bacterial strains namely Pseudomonas simiae AU, P. koreensis AK-1 and Carnobacterium sp. SJ-5 were found tolerate to stress and further used for biochemical characterization of ACC-deaminase, IAA and Pi-solubilization activities under both stresses. All three strains were exhibited equal amount of Pisolubilization at each stress levels. The strain P. simiae AU significantly presented the highest ACC-deaminase activity (81 nmol/mg/h and 73 nmol/mg/h) and IAA activity (41.5 Hg/mL and 39.08 Hg/mL) at 0.4M NaCl and 10% PEG stress respectively