Isolation,Screening, and Identification of Proteolytic Lactic Acid Bacteria from Indigenous Chao Product

The aim of the study was to isolate, select, and identify proteolytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from chao, a traditional fermented fish from Pangkajene and Kepulauan Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. LAB was isolated by poured plate method. Proteolytic LAB were selected using agar skim milk media. Protease activity of LAB was determined based on the amount of tyrosine released in unit/mL. Proteolytic LAB were identified using API 50 CHL kit and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The result showed that a total of 60 isolates were obtained from chao, and 57% of them were cocci-shape. Fifteen isolates were halotolerant proteolytic LAB. Their R values and protease activity were 2.11–3.39 and 0.267–0.304 U/mL, respectively. Identification by API 50 CHL kit showed that four rod-shape isolates were Lactobacillus plantarum, and two others were Lactobacillus curvatus. Cocci-shape isolates could not be identified as cocci bacterium. Rep-PCR results showed that there were two kinds of bands, namely thick and thin. Two isolates were selected from two types of bands that had the highest R for the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, namely Ags1-3 and Ags7-3. The results showed that Ags1-3 isolate was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum and Ags7-3 as Pediococcus acidilactici.