Production, purification, and characterization of two extremely halotolerant, thermostable, and alkali-stable α-amylases from Chromohalobacter sp. TVSP 101

The halophilic bacterial strain Chromohalobacter sp. TVSP 101 was shown to produce extracellular, halotolerant, alkali-stable and moderately thermophilic α-amylase activity. The culture conditions for higher amylase production were optimized with respect to NaCl, pH, temperature and substrates. Maximum amylase production was achieved in a medium containing 20% NaCl or 15% KCl at pH 9.0 and 37 °C in the presence of 0.5% rice flour and tryptone. Addition of 50 mM CaCl2 to the medium increased amylase production by 29%. Two kinds of amylase activity, designated amylase I and amylase II, were purified from culture filtrates to homogeneity with molecular masses of 72 and 62 kDa, respectively. Both enzymes had maximal activity at pH 9.0 and 65 °C in the presence of 0–20% (w/v) NaCl but amylase I was much more stable in the absence of NaCl than amylase II. The enzymes efficiently hydrolyzed carbohydrates to yield maltotetraose, maltotriose, maltose, and glucose as the end products.