Isolation of Novel Yeast from Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) Water and Phenotypic Examination as the Potential Parameters in Bioethanol Production

Abstract

Yeast is a fermentation agent for producing bioethanol as an environmentally friendly alternative energy. Therefore, this study aims to find novel yeasts with the capability to persevere under acidic, high temperature, and high sugar content conditions, which are required in the bioethanol industry. The yeasts were isolated and identified from coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) water by a DNA sequencing method and phenotypic test. Yeast isolation has been completed with a serial dilution procedure and purification was conducted with HiPurA Genomic DNA Purification Spin Kits, which were analyzed by DNA Sequencing. The phenotypic test was carried out with thermotolerant (30◦C and 41◦C), high acidity (lactic acid), and sugar content (molasses 35◦brix) parameters in the media as the initial step of yeast ability screening. Based on the results, the three species of Candida tropicalis K5 (Candida tropicalis strain L2), K15 (Candida tropicalis strain MYA-3404), and K20 (Candida tropicalis strain Y277) obtained met the phenotypic standards. This showed that the yeasts have the potential to produce molasses-based bioethanol.