Bijender Singh;Ines Boukhris;Pragya;Vinod Kumar;Ajar Nath Yadav;Ameny Farhat-Khemakhem;Anil Kumar;Deepak Singh;Monia Blibech;Hichem Chouayekh;Othman A. Alghamd

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 21959 (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia);Department of Botany, Pt. N.R.S. Govt. College, Rohtak 124001 (India);Department of Biotechnology, Akal College of Agriculture, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Sirmour 173101 (India);Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Haryana, Jant-Pali, Mahendergarh 123031 (India); Laboratory of Bioprocess Technology, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak 124001 (India);Laboratory of Bioprocess Technology, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak 124001 (India);Department of Biochemistry, College of Basic Sciences & Humanities, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004 (India); Laboratoire de Microorganismes et de Biomolécules, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Route de Sidi Mansour Km 6, BP “1177”, Sfax 3018 (Tunisia);Laboratoire de Microorganismes et de Biomolécules, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Route de Sidi Mansour Km 6, BP “1177”, Sfax 3018 (Tunisia);Department of Physics, RPS Degree College, Balana, Satnali Road, Mahendergarh 123029 (India);Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 21959 (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

microbial phytases;phytase;enhance;phytates;soil;plant growt

Phytases belong to the class of phosphohydrolases that begin the step-wise hydrolysis of phosphates from phytates. Phytates are a derivative of myo-inositol, which is the primary storage form of organic phosphorus in plant cells. Phytase has been used globally to diminish phosphorus pollution and to enhance nutrition in monogastrics. In this review, the classification, sources, and diversity of microbial phytases, and their practical applications, as well as supplementation of the soil with transgenic and wild types of microbial strains, which can release phytase to enhance phosphorus availability for plant uptake and reduce the need for fertilizers, are discussed. The overexpressed microbial phytases in transgenic plants enhance the growth capacity of co-cultivated plants and can therefore be employed in agricultural and biotechnological practices, such as intercropping. The introduction of phytases into the soil for improved plant growth and enhanced crop yield can be accomplished without extra cost. A diverse group of photoautotrophic microalgae can synthesize phytase and will likely be useful in many human food and animal industries.