Isolation, Identification, and Characterization of Phytase Producing Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria from Neonatal Fecal Samples Having Dephytinization Activity

ABSTRACT Phytic acid, the main phosphate storage component of plant-based diet, is one of the prime causes of micronutrient deficiency in vegetarians due to the formation of non-degradable cation-phytic acid complex in gastrointestinal tract of monogastric animals that are devoid of phytase enzyme. Therefore, the present study was designed to isolate phytase producing probiotic from neonatal feces which may enhance the bioavailability of phosphorous micronutrient. Experimentally, 13 phytase producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from 28 neonatal fecal samples and characterized both phenotypically and for probiotic attributes. Among these, Isolate 5b exhibited potent probiotic potential with significant (p < .01) phytase activity (4.55 U/mL) and was identified phylogenetically using both 16S rRNA and MALDI-TOF MS analysis as Pediococcus acidilactici BNS5B. Interestingly, it was found that phytase from P. acidilactici BNS5B significantly dephytinized phytic acid from modified diet (96.59%) and brown bread (88.89%) after 15 min of phytase treatment at 37°C. Therefore, this provides an opportunity to develop P. acidilactici BNS5B as a probiotic to be used as a supplement in feed/food of monogastric animals and humans. This also provides the rationale for further in vivo studies to use phytase producing probiotic in relation to maintaining and improving health.