Isolation and characterization of thermophilic bacterial strains with inulinase activity.

Nine bacterial strains growing on inulin as the sole carbon and energy source were isolated from soil samples by enrichment culture on a mineral medium. Four of the strains were thermophilic and belong to the genus Bacillus. The thermophilic strains synthesized a beta-fructosidase that was active on both inulin and sucrose. The presence of inulin in the culture medium is necessary for enzyme synthesis. Most of the activity on inulin was recovered in the culture medium, and the enzyme was synthesized during cell growth.