Isolation and Characterization of Proteolytic and Cellulolytic Bacillus from Soil in Liwa Botanical Garden

Abstract

Liwa Botanical Garden exhibits high biodiversity, offering potential for the discovery of bacteria with enzymatic activity. Enzymes that act as biocontrol agents in plants, reducing dependence on chemical pesticides, enhancing agricultural sustainability and efficiency by decomposing organic matter, and controlling soil pathogens include protease and cellulase enzymes. One type of bacteria capable of producing protease (proteolytic) and cellulase (cellulolytic) enzymes is Bacillus. This study aims to determine the proteolytic and cellulolytic activity of Bacillus isolated from soil samples in Liwa Botanical Garden. The methods used in this study include bacterial isolation and dilution using the pour plate method, followed by purification through the streak method, and proteolytic and cellulolytic activity tests on Bacillus isolates purified from soil samples using the spot method on Skim Milk Agar (SMA) medium. The results showed that Bacillus isolates that had good growth were BP16, TSR 6, TMA 13, and TMA 14. Based on the study's results, the greatest cellulolytic activity was observed in Bacillus isolate BP 16 with a value of 1.21, while the greatest proteolytic activity was observed in Bacillus isolate TMA13, which was 1.17. Meanwhile, the lowest cellulolytic and proteolytic activities were observed in isolate TMA14, which were 0.15 for cellulolytic activity and 0.49 for proteolytic activity.

Keywords : Proteolytic, cellulolytic, Bacillus, Soil, Liwa Botanical Garden