PHYTASE AND ITS PRODUCTION

PURPOSE:To obtain a new phytase useful for promoting the absorption of minerals by partial hydrolysis of phytic acid or for producing inositol, etc. CONSTITUTION:This phytase has the following properties: acting on phytic acid and removing phosphoric acid group thereof; acting on fructose-1,6- diphosphate with the intensity of about a half that of the phytic acid; optimum pH: 5-6 (capable of manifesting the activity at pH3.0-7.5); causing the inactivation on the more acidic side than pH3 and more alkaline side than pH10 by treatment at 5 deg.C for 24hr; stable at pH4-9; optimum temperature: about 60 deg.C (capable of manifesting the activity at 30-65 deg.C); stable to 55 deg.C by treatment for 30min and having about 60-81 kDa molecular weight (measured by a gel filtration method). The phytase is obtained from a solid culture prepared by culturing Neurospora crassa IFO6178, Neurospora sitophila IFO31635, IFO6069, etc., of the genus Neurospora.