[Studies on elastase from Flavobacterium. I. Strain screening and enzyme purification]

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Enzymology

Context:

• Extracellular elastase enzymes are crucial in various biological and industrial processes.
• Soil microorganisms are a rich source of novel enzymes with potential applications.

Purpose:

• To isolate and characterize bacterial strains secreting extracellular elastase from soil samples.
• To optimize the production conditions for elastase and purify the enzyme.

Summary:

• 132 bacterial strains were screened, yielding 5 with high elastolytic activity (>100 u/ml).
• The top strain, identified as Flavobacterium odoratum (No. 17-87), showed optimal elastase production with glucose and casein.
• The enzyme was purified, revealing a molecular weight of 21,380 Da, with optimal activity at pH 7.4 and 50°C, and stability between pH 4.5-9.5 and below 40°C.

Impact:

• Identification of a potent bacterial elastase producer, Flavobacterium odoratum.
• Characterization of optimal fermentation conditions for enhanced enzyme yield.
• Purification and detailed characterization of the extracellular elastase, providing valuable data for potential biotechnological applications.