Isolation and Characterization of Proteases Enzyme from Locally Isolated Bacillus sp.

Abstract

A bacterium was isolated from the natural source. Gram staining & spore staining showed that the organism is gram positive and forms spore during adverse condition in the growth medium. After various tests it was suggested and the features agreed with the description of Bacillus sp in Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology [24]. It was also identified as Bacillus sp with 99.9% identity by API 50 CHB. In growth curve determination showed that the growth of the organism is increased with the increase of incubation period and the growth reached maximum at around 24 hours of incubation and the protease activity was the maximum of the 26 hours culture. This microbe has grown at high temperature and pressure. Its optimum pH and temperature were 8.5 and 60°C. It secretes an extracellular protease in the growth medium. The enzyme hydrolyses a number of proteins including azocasein which suggests that that it is an extracellular protease. The enzyme seems to be alkaline protease which is capable of De-Hairing from skin and hides. A number of companies such as NOVO chemicals started to produce NOVOzymes for tannery industries. The potential for use of microbial enzymes in leather processing lies mainly in areas in which pollution-causing chemicals are being used.