High-temperature alkaline alpha-amylase from Bacillus iicheniformis TCRDC-B13.

A bacterial strain, Bacillus licheniformis, has been isolated and identified which produces high-temperature alkaline alpha-amylase. Cultural conditions, such as types of carbon and nitrogen sources, temperature, pH, and time of reaction, have been optimized for production of alpha-amylase in shake flask and fermenter. The enzyme produced was quite active even at 100 degrees C; however, it showed optimum activity at 90 degrees C. It exhibited optimum activity in the broad pH range 5.5-10. The effects of Na(+) and Ca(2+) ions on enzyme activity was also studied.