Abstract:
Protease enzymes play a crucial role in numerous industrial applications and hold a significant market share of approximately 60% of the total industrial enzyme market. Among them, alkaline proteases have gained substantial importance in various industrial processes, including detergents, food, leather, and silk production. Microbial sources are the preferred choice for commercial protease production due to their desirable characteristics for biotechnological applications. The aim of the present study is to isolate and screen halophilic bacteria for the production of protease and evaluation of its activity at different pH. Samples were collected from salt mines of district Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Following isolation, the bacterial isolates were subjected to various biochemical tests for characterization. Additionally, the isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolated bacterium was identified as Bacillus haynesii, a Gram-positive anaerobic rod-shaped bacterium. Protease production was confirmed by the observation of a clear zone surrounding bacterial isolates, indicating the presence of proteolytic activity. Furthermore, the protease activity of the purified enzyme was evaluated at different pH levels using a standard enzyme assay protocol. Interestingly, the purified enzyme exhibited higher activity at pH 10, highlighting its alkaline nature. In conclusion, this study successfully isolated and identified a protease-producing bacterium, Bacillus haynesii, from soil samples collected from salt mines of district Karak. The purified enzyme demonstrated elevated protease activity at pH 10, emphasizing its potential for industrial utilization in alkaline environments.
Page(s):
432-432
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Abstract Book on International Conference on Food and Applied Sciences (ICFAS-23) 3-5 August 23, Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2023
Keywords:
pH
,
Protease
,
Bacillus haynesii
,
salt mine
,
halophilic bacteria