Partial purification and characterization of protease of Bacillus proteolyticus CFR3001 isolated from fish processing waste and its antibacterial activities

Bacillus proteolyticus CFR3001 isolated from fish processing wastes (both fresh water and marine) produced an alkaline protease. The optimum conditions for cell growth and protease production were 37 degrees C, 96 h, agitation speed of 100 rpm and medium pH 9. The partially purified protease obtained from had specific activity of 22.05 at 37 degrees C was active between 40 degrees C and 50 degrees C and lost >20% of its activity around 60 degrees C. Its molecular weight was approximately 29 kDa and it inhibited the growth of several pathogenic organisms such as Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Yersinia enterocolytica. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed that the protease produced by B. proteolyticus CFR3001 lysed the cells of these pathogenic bacteria.