Pigeon pea waste as a novel, inexpensive, substrate for production of a thermostable alkaline protease from thermoalkalophilic Bacillus sp JB-99

Abstract

Thermoalkaliphilic Bacillus sp. JB-99 was grown in a 250 nil Erlenmeyer flask containing 50 nil medium containing (g/1) Pigeon pea waste 10; NaNO3, 5.0; K2HPO4, 5.0; MgSO4 . 2H(2)O, 0.2 and Na2CO3, 10.0. Incubations were carried out at 50 degreesC on a rotary incubator shaker for 15 h. A high level of extra cellular thermostable protease activity was observed after 24 h incubation. The optimum temperature and pH for activity were 70 degreesC and 11, respectively, so this enzyme showed stable activity at high temperature and under alkaline conditions. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.