Evaluation of nutraceuticals including vitamin B12 and xenobiotic degradation capacity of Pleurotus species

Diverse edaphic zone (namely: usar, wastelands, forest area, wetlands, flood prone area and fertile lands) were identified in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and collected species of Pleurotus for present study. A total of 39 purified isolates were evaluated for the presence of neutraceuticals like proteins, carbohydrates, phenolic and vitamin B12 along with xenobiotic dye degradation capacity for textile dyes (MG and BPB) and production of laccase enzyme simultaneously. Isolate no. 06, appeared most distant in dendrogram having two major clusters, which also showed highest MG degradation capacity, however, other isolates also showed excellent degradation of BPB; and the laccase activity was found in the range of 4.03 to 19.13 IU/ml of crude enzyme extract from mycelia. All the isolates used in the present study, were also mounted for their genetic diversity analysis through RAPD. Diversity study revealed gene frequency from 0.012 to 0.987 and the average gene diversity for all RAPD loci were 0.244. The Shannon Information Index was 0.397. The unbiased genetic similarity among all pairs of isolates was 0.36 to 0.93 with a mean of 0.64. Significant genetic diversity, nutraceuticals and laccase enzyme availability and dye degradation capacity within the studied genus Pleurotus was found, which makes necessary to carry out a selection process in each one for superior selection not only for human being but also many aquatic as well as other terrestrial flora and fauna. Present investigation suggest that due to wide range of variation within species, the adaptation of strains to different edaphic zones must be taken into account in selection processes.