Metagenomics Profile of Bacterial Community and Its Biocatalytic Activities of The Cultured Bacteria in Liquid of Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Adrianii)

Ade Arum Ndani; Ari  Susilowati; Artini  Pangastuti; Nita  Etikawati; Sugiyarto

doi:10.22146/jtbb.20120

Ade Arum Ndani Graduate Program of Bioscience, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret Jalan Ir. Sutami 36A Surakarta 57126, Central Java, Indonesia. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0568-2626
Ari Susilowati Graduate Program of Bioscience, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret Jalan Ir. Sutami 36A Surakarta 57126, Central Java, Indonesia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0107-6870
Artini Pangastuti Graduate Program of Bioscience, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret Jalan Ir. Sutami 36A Surakarta 57126, Central Java, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4541-1383
Nita Etikawati Graduate Program of Bioscience, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret Jalan Ir. Sutami 36A Surakarta 57126, Central Java, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7149-8132
Sugiyarto Graduate Program of Bioscience, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret Jalan Ir. Sutami 36A Surakarta 57126, Central Java, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/jtbb.20120

Keywords: 16S rRNA, Biocatalytic, Metagenomics, Nepenthes adrianii, Pitcher Bacteria

Abstract

Nepenthes, commonly known as pitcher plants, are carnivorous plants that catch insects. One species, Nepenthes adrianii, is endemic to Mount Slamet in Central Java. The bacterial community present in the fluid of Nepenthes pitchers is supposed to play a crucial role in digesting trapped insects, converting them into nutrients for the plant. This study investigated the metagenomics profile of the bacterial community found in the fluid of N. adrianii, collected from two different altitudes, and evaluated the biocatalytic activity of cultured bacteria. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Additionally, biocatalytic screening—including cellulolytic, amylolytic, proteolytic, and chitinolytic tests—was conducted by growing bacteria on basal media, each supplemented with 1 % of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), starch, skim milk, and colloidal chitin. The formation of a clear zone in the media indicated bacteria with biocatalytic activity, which were subsequently identified molecularly using the 16S rRNA gene. The results indicated that the four most abundant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteria, with Proteobacteria having the highest abundance in all altitudes. Bacterial diversity in the fluid of N. adrianii showed high with a Shannon diversity index exceeding three, along with several dominant bacterial species. Bacterial isolates confirmed to have proteolytic activity included Leifsonia aquatica, Bacillus tequilensis, and Bosea lupini. Cellulolytic activity was attributed to Pseudomonas sp. Amylolytic activity was linked to Pseudomonas sp. and a Bacillaceae bacterium, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited chitinolytic activity.

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