Production of extremely thermostable alkaline protease from Bacillus sp. no. AH-101

Summary An alkalophilic Bacillus sp. no. AH-101, which produced extremely thermostable alkaline protease, was isolated among 200 soil samples. The enzyme production reached its maximum level of 1500 units/ml after about 24 h in alkaline medium (pH 9.5). The enzyme was most active toward casein at pH 12–13 and stable to 10 min incubation at 60° C from pH 5–13. Calcium ions were effective in stabilizing the enzyme especially at higher temperatures. The optimum and stable temperatures were about 80° C and below about 70° C respectively in the presence of 5 mM calcium ions. The enzyme was completely inactivated by phenylmethane sulphonyl fluoride, but little affected by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, urea, sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate and sodium dodecyl sulphate. The molecular weight and sedimentation constant were approximately 30 000 and 3.0S respectively, and the isoelectric point was at pH 9.2. These results indicte that no. AH-101 alkaline protease is more stable against both temperature and highly alkaline conditions than any other protease so far reported.