PRODUCTION OF AN EXTRACELLULAR HALOPHILIC AMYLASE FROM THE EXTREMELY HALOPHILIC ARCHAEON NATRIALBA AEGYPTIACA STRAIN 40T

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt

2 Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt

Abstract

The extremely halophilic archaeon, Natrialba aegyptiaca strain 40T, which was isolated from a salty soil close to Aswan, Egypt is able to produce a halophilic extracellular, raw starch-digesting amylase. Optimization of medium components and culture conditions to enhance amylase production was investigated. Maximum production of this amylase was achieved in a medium contained (%, w/v): NaCl, 15; KCl, 1.5; MgSO4.7H2O, 0.1 and soluble starch, 0.05 at a pH range between 6-8 and a temperature range between 45-47 oC after incubation period of 144 hr. under static conditions and 48 hr. with shaking at 150 rpm. The enzyme could efficiently hydrolyze raw starches from different plant sources.

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