A Thermostable Alkaline Protease from a Moderately Halo-alkalithermotolerant Bacillus Subtilis Strain SH1

A protease producing moderately halo-alkalithermotolerant Bacillus strain SH1 was isolated from salt spring sediment in Manipur, India. Biochemical and physiological characterization and acid production from various carbohydrates by API 50 CHB tests led to its identification as Bacillus subtilis and it was designated as bacillus subtilis strain SH1. Corn starch(1%) and peptone(0.2%) was found as optimal C and N sources for protease production. The enzyme is active over a wide range of temperatures and pH with optima at 500 C and pH 8. It is inhibited by PMSF as well as EDTA and seems to be a metal-activated serine protease or a mixture of enzymes. SH1, interestingly, is stimulated by FeSO4 which has been rarely reported in the literature