Studies on the production of extracellular protease by Alcaligenes faecalis

Alcaligenes faecalis produced extracellular protease when incubated in media containing protein substrates. Enzyme production was found to be influenced by various culture conditions. Enzyme production was growth-associated, expressed linearity with growth and reached a maximum at the end of the growth phase. Carbohydrates and inorganic nitrogen sources could not be utilized by the bacterium for its growth, and organic nitrogen appeared to be a primary determinant in protease production. Enzyme production reached its maximum level of 171.2 U/ml when the culture was incubated at 30 °C at pH 8.0. Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ enhanced the enzyme production. The crude enzyme powder was stable at high alkaline pH and stable upto 6 months at the storage temperature of 0–4 °C. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.