Aspergillus welwitschiae: A Potential amylases Producer

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Enzymology
• Microbial Production

Background:

• Amylases are essential glycoside hydrolases with broad industrial applications.
• Fungal amylases, particularly from Aspergillus species, offer high catalytic efficiency across diverse pH and temperature ranges.
• Aspergillus section Nigri, including Aspergillus welwitschiae, are recognized for their amylase production capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential of Aspergillus welwitschiae strains for extracellular amylase production.
• To identify superior wild-type and mutant strains for enhanced amylase yield.
• To characterize the optimal conditions and factors influencing amylase activity.

Main Methods:

• Screening of 24 Aspergillus welwitschiae strains for amylase production.
• Comparative analysis of amylase yield between wild-type and mutant strains.
• Partial purification of crude enzymatic extracts and determination of activity under varying pH, temperature, and in the presence of metallic ions.

Main Results:

• Aspergillus welwitschiae UELAs 15.262 and a mutant UELAs 15.262/35 exhibited significant extracellular amylase production.
• The wild strain UELAs 15.262 yielded higher amylase levels (8645 U/mg) than the mutant (6666 U/mg).
• Optimal activity for UELAs 15.262 was observed at pH 5.5 and 60°C (1.98-fold increase), while UELAs 15.262/35 showed peak activity at pH 5.0 and 60°C (2.2-fold increase).
• Metallic ions (Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺) enhanced amylase activity in both strains.

Conclusions:

• Aspergillus welwitschiae strains possess considerable potential for producing extracellular amylases.
• The wild-type strain Aspergillus welwitschiae UELAs 15.262 is a promising source for industrial amylase production.
• This study provides the first report on the amylase-producing capabilities of Aspergillus welwitschiae.