Growth temperature of different local isolates of Bacillus sp. in the solid state affects production of raw starch digesting amylases

Natural amylase producers, wild type strains of Bacillus sp., were isolated from different regions of Serbia. Strains with the highest amylase activity based on the starch-agar plate test were grown on solid-state fermentation (SSF) on triticale. The influence of the substrate and different cultivation temperature (28 and 37?C) on the production of amylase was examined. The tested strains produced ?-amylases when grown on triticale grains both at 28 and at 37?C, but the activity of amylases and the number and intensity of the produced isoforms were different. Significant hydrolysis of raw cornstarch was obtained with the Bacillus sp. strains 2B, 5B, 18 and 24B. The produced ?-amylases hydrolyzed raw cornstarch at a temperature below the temperature of gelatinization, but the ability for hydrolysis was not directly related to the total enzyme activity, suggesting that only certain isoforms are involved in the hydrolysis.