Utilization of corn starch as sustrate for ß-Amylase by Bacillus SPP

Corn starch was used as substrate for ß -amylase production from ten(10) amylolytic species of the genus Bacillus isolated locally from soil, waste water and food sources. Ten bacillus strains was made up of two strains each of Bacillus macerans, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus circulans. Also included are B. coagulans, B. megatarium, B. polymyxa and B. subtilis. B. cereus ATCC 11778 served as type specie. The mean estimate of total bacterial count for all the amylolytic bacillus strains studied was 11.58 X 102 CFU/ml in corn starch substrate, 10.1 X102 CFU/ml soluble starch and nutrient broth medium recorded 7.4 X 102 CFU/ml. The growth value expressed in corn starch substrates shows its viability as a cheap carbon source. ß-amylase production by the various strains showed that B. licheniformis (S2) (4.2 unit/ml) and B. subtilis (6.24 unit/ml) has highenzymatic activity with corresponding maltose yield of 46.4mg/ml and 68.0mg/ml respectively. Calcium ion added to the assay systems improved ß-amylase activity.