The production of α-amylase enzyme from Iraqi isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis using agricultural-based media

Abstract

This research aimed to produce extracellular α-amylase from the Iraqi isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis using various agricultural materials. The initial ingredients were wheat straws, rice straws, corn cop, date seeds, reed, lathyrus seeds, corn seeds, and sorghum seeds. A colorimetric method was used to evaluate the activity of α-amylase through the determination of glucose concentration. The initial isolate investigation showed that KS4 B. thuringiensis isolate produced a significant amount of α-amylase in submerged culture. The same isolate was used in agricultural-based media experiment where 5% media of each material was prepared, inoculated with 105 bacterial spores, and incubated at 30 ○C for 48 hours. The highest α-amylase activities were obtained with corn and sorghum seeds. Later, an equilibrated environment experiment was carried out where different concentrations of corn and sorghum seeds (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10%) were used to prepare agricultural-based broths, and each culture was incubated at either 30 ○C or 35 ○C. The results showed that 10% corn medium with 35 ○C incubation temperature resulted in the highest amylase activity.