Extracellular neutral protease from Arthrospira platensis: Production, optimization and partial characterization

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Enzymology
• Microbial Catalysis

Background:

• Proteases are vital industrial enzymes with diverse applications.
• Discovering novel proteases and optimizing their production is crucial for expanding their use.
• Arthrospira platensis is a potential source for novel enzyme discovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detect and characterize a novel extracellular neutral protease from Arthrospira platensis.
• To optimize the production conditions for this neutral protease using statistical methods.
• To evaluate the potential industrial applications of the discovered protease.

Main Methods:

• Protease activity was characterized using specific activators (β-mercaptoethanol, DTNB) and inhibitors (Hg2+, Zn2+).
• Statistical modeling (logistic model) was used for Arthrospira platensis growth kinetics.
• Box-Behnken Design optimized culture conditions for protease production.

Main Results:

• The study identified a novel cysteine protease from Arthrospira platensis.
• Optimal production conditions yielded a maximum protease activity of 159.79 U/mL.
• Optimized conditions included 0.625 g/L NaCl, 0.625 g/L K2HPO4, and an initial pH of 9.5, with peak activity at 13 days.

Conclusions:

• The novel extracellular neutral protease from Arthrospira platensis is a cysteine protease.
• Optimized production conditions significantly enhance enzyme yield.
• The protease's neutral pH activity and low production cost make it suitable for the food industry.