Production and Characterization of Serratiopeptidase Enzyme from Serratia Marcescens

Production characterization of serratiopeptidase (STP) enzyme by Serratia marcescens was the aim of this study. Serratia marcescens was allowed to grow in Tryptone Yeast Extract Glucose broth culture for the purpose of inducing STP (serrapeptase or serratiopeptidase) enzyme. The optimal conditions for STP production by Serratia marcescens were; 0.5 % substrate(Gelatin) concentration; 24 h incubation period; 32ºC incubation temperature and 6.0 pH ; the best buffer for production of STP enzyme was phosphate buffer. The best broth ingredient was tryptone; An optimum carbon sources was glucose; an optimum nitrogen source for STP enzyme production was tryptone; Valine was the best amino acids for the production of STP enzyme; the utilization of organic acids, acetic, citric, lactic acid decreased STP enzyme production at different concentrations above 3.0%. The STP enzyme was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and dialysis. The enzyme was found to have 52 KDa molecular weight by SDS – PAGE analysis. The STP enzyme activity increased as the increase in enzyme concentration. The data obtained emphasizes the possibility of production and purification of the microbial STP enzyme for application under industrial scale.