Present study was designed to develop indigenous phytate hydrolyzing probiotic Lactobacilli to increase phosphorous availability in poultry gut with ultimate goal of efficient and enhanced poultry production. A total of 90 Lactobacilli were isolated from indigenous poultry droppings and homemade fermented milk products. Lactobacilli were screened for phytate hydrolyzing ability and enzyme activities were measured calorimetrically by ammonium molybdate assay. Out of 62 isolates showing phytate hydrolysis, 16 were confirmed by cobalt chloride staining. Out of 16, three isolates (PDP10, PDP24 and FYP38) were identified as Lactobacillus gallinarum, Lactobacillus reutri and Lactobacillus fermentum respectively, and further selected for physico-chemical optimization of phytase production. PDP10, PDP24 and FYP38 showed highest phytase activity at 35°C (6.86±0.15, 5.12±0.12 and 5.65±0.13 IU/ml, respectively), pH 5.0 (6.86±0.15, 5.12±0.11 and 5.50±0.13 IU/ml respectively), 1% NaCl (4.78±0.14, 4.18±0.13 and 5.58±0.02 IU/ml respectively) and 0.3% bile salts (3.76±0.12, 1.12±0.11 and 2.21±0.15 IU/ml respectively). Glucose was optimum carbon source for phytate hydrolysis. Optimum nitrogen source was peptone for PDP10 and PDP24 while tryptone for FYP38. It is concluded that phytate hydrolyzing Lactobacilli reported in this study might be used as probiotics for increased phosphorous availability in poultry after further investigations.

To Cite This Article: Arif A, Nawaz M, Rabbani M, Iqbal S, Mustafa A, Yousuf MR and Muhammad K, 2018. Screening, characterization and physicochemical optimization of phosphorus solubilization activity of potential probiotic Lactobacillus spp. Pak Vet J, 38(3): 316-320. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2018.061