Molecular identification and optimization culture conditions of amylase producing bacteria isolated from green algae in the coast side of Southern Sea, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The phenotypic and genotypic characters of an unidentified amylase producing bacteria that was isolated from green algae on the cost side of Southern Sea, Yogyakarta, Indonesia was investigated. The strain was a gram-positive rod bacterium. It has endospore and catalase positive gram positive. On the basis of several phenotypic characters and a phylogenetic analysis of the genes coding for the 16S rRNA, this strain was identified as Bacillus cereus BSH322. α- Amylase production by Bacillus cereus BSH322 cultivated in Luria Bertani Medium containing 1% soluble starch as a carbon source reached a maximum specific activity at 24 h, with levels of 87 U/mL. The optimum temperature and pH for the amylase production was 50 °C and 7, respectively. In the presence of NaCl of 5 M, 31% of amylase activity was retained. The production of amylase was found to enhance when starch and yeast extract were added as carbon and nitrogen sources. This α-amylase may be used as a saccharifying enzyme for marine algae for the bioethanol production. Bacillus cereus BSH322 ATCC 10254 also presents a potential for industrial processes and therapeutic applications which utilize high levels of salt materials.