Production of Microbial Protease from Selected Soil Fungal Isolates

Abstract

This study was undertaken to monitor the production of protease enzyme from soil fungal isolates obtained from Omo natural forest in Ogun State of Nigeria. The study also sought to determine the kinetic parameters of the enzyme with the aim of establishing the industrial and biotechnological importance of this microbial enzyme. The harvested mycelia of the fungi were separately homogenized in buffered culture medium for five days using shaker incubator in which the protease activity was monitored. The results of the enzyme activity showed that the organisms; Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium italicum produced the protease enzyme maximally between day three and day five of incubation while the effect of temperature and thermal stability on the enzyme production showed temperature optimal for enzyme production was between 30 and 60⁰C and the thermal stability on the enzyme activity was between 30 and 50⁰C. The optimal pH on the enzyme production was observed to be between pH 3.5 and 5.5 for the organisms.

Keywords: Soil microorganism, fungal isolate, incubation period, microbial enzyme

Nig J. Biotech. Vol. 23 (2011) 28 - 34