Asian Journal of Biochemistry1815-99231815-9931Academic Journals Inc.10.3923/ajb.2010.12.22MandhaniaS. JainV. MalhotraS.P. 1201051The present investigations were undertaken with the objective to isolate PME producing microbial strain and to standardize conditions to have cost effective production of the enzyme. Based on the ability of pectinolysis, out of 20 microbial strains isolated, one fungal strain was selected and got identified from Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh (India), as Aspergillus heteromorphus. The strain was added to its collection with identification number MTCC 9262. Various process variables viz., type and pH of the medium, temperature of growth, time of incubation, inoculum concentration and type and concentration of carbon and nitrogen sources were optimized as per the conventional method of one variable at a time approach which involves varying a single independent variable and maintaining others at a constant level. Modified pectin medium-A, in which both Fe++ and Cu++ were omitted, gave the maximum growth of A. heteromorphus. Maximum PME production was obtained when an inoculum size of 4x106 spores mL-1 was incubated in modified pectin medium-A for 144 h at pH 4.5 and at a temperature of 30°C under static conditions in submerged fermentation. Out of the various nitrogen and carbon sources tested, dibasic ammonium phosphate and pectin were found to be the best N and C source, respectively. After standaradizing various process variables, a three fold increase in PME production by A. heteromorphus was achieved. Orange peel, a waste byproduct of fruit industry could effectively replace pectin as C-source thus, making the process cost effective. The PME produced by A. heteromorphus had the pH optimum in acidic range-a characteristic which could be exploited for its use in fruit processing industry.]]>Bai, Z.H., H.X. Zhang, H.Y. Qi, X.W. Peng and B.J. Li,2004Aspergillus niger using wastewater in solid state fermentation for eliciting plant disease resistance.]]>954952Bhat, M.K.,200018355383Blandino, A., T. lqbalsyah, S.S. Pandiella, D. Cantero and C. Webb,2002Aspergillus awamori on wheat in solid-state fermentation.]]>58164169Boccas, F., S. Roussos, M. Gutierrez, L. Serrano and G.G. Viniegra,1994312226Cavalitto, S.F., J.A. Arcas and R.A. Hours,1996Aspergillus foetidus in solid state culture at different acidities.]]>18251256Celestino, S.M.C., S.M.D. Freitas, F.J. Medrano, M.V.D. Sousa and E.X.F. Filho,2006Acrophialophora nainiana with emphasis on its physicochemical properties.]]>1233342Chandel, M. and W. Azmi,2008Citrobacter freundii MTCC 2424.]]>10018401846El-Sheekh, M.M., A.S. Ismail, M.A. El-Ab, E.M. Hegazy and A.I. El-Diwany,2009Aspergillus carneus NRC1 utilizing the Egyptian orange juice industry scraps.]]>631218Favela-Torres, E., C. Aguilar, J.C.C. Esquivel and G.G. Viniegra,20052005pp: 273-296pp: 273-296Hoondal, G., R. Tiwari, R. Tewari, N. Dahiya and Q. Beg,200259409418Hours, R.A., C.E. Voget and R.J. Ertola,198824147157Jaffar, M.B. and S. Oommen,1993Arthrobotrys oligospora.]]>175365Joshi, V.K., M. Parmar and N.S. Rana,200644253256Kashyap, D.R., P.K. Vohra, S. Chopra and R. Tewari,200177215227Kashyap, D.R., K.S. Soni and R. Tewari,2003Bacillus sp. DT7 using solid-state fermentation.]]>88251254Kaur, G., S. Kumar and T. Satyanarayana,2004Sporotrichum thermophile apinis.]]>94239243Kertesz, Z.I.,19551955pp: 159-162pp: 159-162Maldonado, M.C. and D.A.S. Callieri,1989Aspergillus niger.]]>5327333Maldonado, M.C. and S.A.M. de Saad,1998Aspergillus niger in submerged and solid-state systems.]]>203438Maldonado, M.C., A. Antonio Navarro and D.A.S. Callieri,1986Aspergillus sp. using differently pretreated lemon peel as the carbon source.]]>8501504Oretga, J.,1994Exserohilm rostratum.]]>467986Pandey, A., P. Selvakumar, C.R. Soccol and P. Nigam, 199977149162Parley, A.F. and O.T. Page,1971Fusarium roseum (LK.) emed. Snyder and Hansen.]]>17415420Reid, I. and M. Ricard,200026115123Sebastian, F.C., A.A. Jorge and A.H. Roque,1996Aspergillus foetidus in solid-state cultures at different acidities.]]>18251256Semenova, M.V., S.G. Grishutin, A.V. Gusakov, O.N. Okunev and A.P. Sinitsyn,2003Aspergillus japonicus.]]>68559569Sharma, D.C. and T. Satyanarayana,2004Sporotrichurm thermophile and Bacillus pumilus.]]>2004pp: 164-169pp: 164-169Sharma, D.C. and T. Satyanarayana,2006Bacillus pumilus dcsr1 in submerged fermentation by using statistical methods.]]>97727733Soni, G.L. and I.S. Bhatia,1981Fusarium oxysporum.]]>19547550Stutzenberger, F.,19921992pp: 327-337pp: 327-337Sunnotel, O. and P. Nigam,200218835839Yadav, S., P.K. Yadav, D. Yadav and K.D.S. Yadav,2008Aspergillus flavus.]]>43547552Ahlawat, S., S.S. Dhiman, B. Battan, R.P. Mandhan and J. Sharma,2009Bacillus subtilis and its potential application in biopreparation of cotton and micropoly fabric.]]>44521526