Purification and Characterization of a Novel Malto-oligosaccharides Forming $\alpha$-Amylase from Bacillus sp.SUH4-2

Bacillus sp. SUH4-2로부터 생산되는 말토올리고당 생성 $\alpha$-Amylase의 정제 및 특성

A Bacillus strain capable of producing an extracellular malto-oligosaccharides forming $\alpha $-amylase was isolated from soil and designated as Bacillus sp. SUH4-2. The enzyme was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Toyopearl and Mono-Q HR 5/5 column chromatographies using a FPLC system. The specific activity of the enzyme was increased by 16.1-fold and the yield was 13.5%. The optimum temperature for the activity of $\alpha $-amylase was 60-65$\circ$C and more than 50% of initial activity was retained after the enzyme was incubated at 60$\circ$C for 40 min. The enzyme was stable over a broad pH range of 5.0-8.0 and the optimum pH was 5.0-6.0. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be about 63.6 kD and isoelectric point was around 5.8. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by Mn$^{2+}$, Ni$^{2+}$, and Cu$^{2+}$ ; slightly by Ca$^{2+}$. The purified enzyme produced starch hydrolyzates containing mainly maltose and maltotriose from soluble starch. The starch hydrolyzates were composed of 11% glucose, 59% maltose, 25% maltotriose and 5% maltotetraose.