Improving the Antibacterial Activity of Ceftazidime by Inulinase Purified from Staphylococcus Aureus

Inulinase is an enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of inulin, a plant stored polysaccharide, into fructoses and fructo- oligosaccharides that have a large spectrum of applications ranging from food industry to bioethanol production and pharmacology.Eight isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from agricultural rhizosphere soil samples with isolation percentage(32%)   and screened for higher inulinase production and found that Staphylococcus aureus S 3 was the best producer. Inulinase was  partially purified with ammonium sulfate at 70% saturation and the specific activity reached to (7.01)U/mg protein. Inulinase led to enhancement ceftazidime activity against the bacteria and  gram positive bacteria more sensitive than negative bacteria to combination of inulinase and ceftazidime. These finding indicate that antistaphylococcal activity of ceftazidime antibiotic has increased in the presence of inulinase enzyme and the inulinase may be useful adjuvant agent for the treatment of S. aureus infections in combination with this antibiotic.