Abstract

Actinomycetes were isolated from the sediment samples of an estuarine shrimp pond located along the south east coast of India. During the investigation, a total of 28 strains of actinomycetes were isolated and examined for their protease activity. Among them, one strain PS-18A which was tentatively identified as Streptomyces roseiscleroticusshowed higher protease activity with lower biomass and it was taken for further study. Impact of various physical and chemical factors such as pH, temperatures, sodium chloride concentration, and carbon compounds and amino acids on the growth of S. roseiscleroticus and its protease activity was studied. At pH 7, temperature 40ºC and 3% NaCl concentration, carbon compound such as sucrose and L-glutamine as amino acids, the enzymatic activity was maximum. The present study has thus indicated the scope for the use of S. roseiscleroticus as an ideal organism for the industrial production of the extracellular protease enzyme.

Key words: Shrimp pond sediment, protease, Streptomyces roseiscleroticus.