ABSTRACT
@#Aim: Most of the industrial processes require thermostable alkaline proteases. Thus, a search was initiated to isolate and characterize a bacterium which can produce thermostable alkaline protease. Methodology and results: Best higher titer thermostable alkaline protease producing wild type organism was screened from beef, dog and fish decaying soil samples. Among the 92 bacterial strains, three strains which produced alkaline proteases having activities at pH 10.5 and above 70 °C were selected. Among the three strains, the one from the dog decaying soil (Strain DDS2 ; DDS-dog decaying soil) which produced the protease showing highest activity at pH 10.5 and 73 °C and stability (half-life: 10.5 h) without additives was selected and identified. Based on the biochemical and morphological studies, strain DDS2 could be either Paenibacillus dendritiformis or P. thiaminolyticus. From 16S rDNA sequencing, the strain DDS2 was confirmed as P. dendritiformis. Conclusion, significance and impact: This is the first report published to show that P. dendritiformis is a protease producer and the organism was named as P. dendritiformis DDS2.