Alkaline serine protease produced from citric acid by Bacillus alcalophilus subsp. halodurans KP 1239

Maximum production of alkaline serine protease by Bacillus alcalophilus subsp. halodurans KP 1239 was achieved after 24 h cultivation, at an initial pH of 7.6, on a medium containing 1.0% sodium citrate, 0.3% yeast extract, and 0.3% KH2PO4. The enzyme was purified to crystalline form from culture broth. The enzyme was most active at 60 degrees C and at pH 11.5. The molecular weight, isoelectric point and sedimentation coefficient in water at 20 degrees C were estimated as 29,000, 8.8 and 3.3S, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was Ala-Gln-Ser-Val-Pro-Trp-Gly-Ile-Ser-Arg-Val-Gln-Ala-Pro-Ala-Ala- His-Asn-Arg-Gly-. The enzyme shared its antigenic determinants with B. alcalophilus ATCC 21522 serine protease, but not with the subtilisins Carlsberg and BPN'.