Biochemical characterization of a detergent-stable serine alkaline protease from Caldicoprobacter guelmensis

Caldicoprobacter guelmensis isolated from the hydrothermal hot spring of Guelma (Algeria) produced high amounts of extracellular thermostable serine alkaline protease (called SAPCG) (23,000 U/mL). The latter was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, UNO Q-6 FPLC and Zorbex PSM 300 HPLC, and submitted to biochemical characterization assays. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) analysis revealed that the purified enzyme was a monomer, with a molecular mass of 55,824.19 Da. The 19 N-terminal residue sequence of SAPCG showed high homology with those of microbial proteases. The enzyme was completely inhibited by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and diiodopropyl fluorophosphates (DFP), which suggested its belonging to the serine protease family. It showed optimum protease activity at pH 10 and 70 °C with casein as a substrate. The thermoactivity and thermostability of SAPCG were enhanced in the presence of 2 mM Ca2+. Its half-life times at 80 and 90 °C were 180 and 60 min, respectively. Interestingly, the SAPCG protease exhibited significant compatibility with iSiS and Persil, and wash performance analysis revealed that it could remove blood-stains effectively. Overall, SAPCG displayed a number of attractive properties that make it a promising candidate for future applications as an additive in detergent formulations.