Phytases have gathered considerable attention in recent years due to their applications in human and animal nutrition, environmental protection and biotechnology. Phytases were isolated and characterized from a variety of bacteria and fungi but rarely from actinomycetes. In the present study, a Nocardia sp. MB 36, isolated from rice mill waste, was found to be a producer of a thermostable and acid/alkalistable phytase. Optimization of phytase production by Plackett–Burman designed experiments indicated that wheat bran, medium pH, FeSO4 and CaCl2 are the most effective fermentation variables that influence the phytase yield under submerged fermentation. Further optimization of these four variables by using Closed‐Composite‐Design of response surface methodology resulted in enhancement of phytase production by 64.14%. This newly isolated phytase from Nocardia sp. has potentially desirable features for animal feed applications.

A total of fifty-four endophytic fungi were isolated from living symptomless leaves, stem and petals of Rosa damascaena Mill. (Rose). Rose is commercially exploited for the essential oil which is used in flavour and fragrances. Methyl eugenol [1,2-dimethoxy 4-(2-propenyl) benzene] constitutes about 1.9% composition of the rose oil and also acts as a precursor for the synthesis of methyl DOPA an important vasodilator. Besides this, it is an important bioactive compound with wide range of applications in pharmaceutical and flavouring industries. So far, methyl eugenol has been extracted either from rose oil or synthesized. During the present investigation GC-MS revealed the production of methyl eugenol by an Alternaria species isolated as an endophyte of cultivated and wild rose. The present work indicates that endophytes not only duplicate the secondary metabolite composition of host plant but can also serve as important tool for the preservation of biodiversity.

Endophytes include all organisms that during a variable period of their life, colonize the living internal tissues of their hosts without causing detectable symptoms. Several fungal endophytes have been isolated from a variety of plant species which have proved themselves as a rich source of secondary metabolites. The reported natural products from endophytes include antibiotics, immunosuppresants, anticancer compounds, antioxidant agents, etc. For the first time Rosa damacaena (rose) has been explored for its endophytes. The rose oil industry is the major identified deligence for its application in perfumery, flavouring, ointments, and pharmaceuticals including various herbal products. During the present investigation fungal endophytes were isolated from Rosa damacaena. A total of fifty four isolates were isolated out of which sixteen isolates were screened for the production of secondary metabolites. GCMS analysis reveals the production of 2-phenylethanol by one of the isolates JUBT 3M which was identified as Aspergillus niger. This is the first report of production of 2-phenylethanol from endophytic A. niger. 2-phenylethanol is an important constituent of rose oil constituting about 4.06% of rose oil. Presence of 2-phenylethanol indicates that the endophyte of rose may duplicate the biosynthesis of phenyl propanoids by rose plant. Besides this, the other commercial applications of phenylethanol include its use in antiseptics, disinfectants, anti-microbials and preservative in pharmaceuticals.

Phytase from Nocardia sp. MB 36 was purifi ed (9.65-fold) to homogeneity by acetone precipitation, ion exchange, and molecular sieve chromatography. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and zymogram analysis showed a single active protein in the purifi ed enzyme preparation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE analysis showed that phytase was a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of approximately 43 kDa. Phytase exhibited activity and stability over a broad pH range (2 -8) and elevated temperatures (50 -80 ° C), and utilized several phosphate compounds as substrates. Phytase was extremely resistant to pepsin and trypsin. Various metal ions viz. Fe 2 ϩ , Co 2 ϩ , and Mn 2 ϩ , and NH 4 ϩ , ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or EDTA and phenylmethylsulfonyl fl uoride or PMSF had no infl uence on activity, while Ca 2 ϩ and Zn 2 ϩ enhanced activity by 15 % and 3.58 %, respectively. SDS caused signifi cant reduction in enzyme activity (41.8 %), while 2,3-butanedione did so moderately (15.9 %). Features of Nocardia sp. MB 36 phytase suggest a potential for animal feed applications.