SCREENING OF STARCH DEGRADING Bacillus sp. FROM SOIL IN DHARAN

Abstract

Enzymes are the most important substances which are used today in so many areas either in research, medicine or commonly in industries. Among the most important enzymes, amylases are of great significance in present day industries. Amylases could be extracted from different sources such as plant, animal and microbes. These bacteria are screened from natural resources including soil, biogas plant, kitchen waste and domestic waste water for its ability to grow on cheap substrates, producing enzymes at high stable rate and no toxic substances. Starch is the reserve store of plants and is one of the most abundant biopolymers on earth. Starch degrading bacteria are mostly important in food, texture, fermentation and paper industries. The isolation and identification of starch degrading microorganisms from soil through the conventional culture method have a great importance in biotechnology. In this study, cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics of the bacterial isolates were studied. Out of seven samples, only five samples showed positive result. The pure culture of the isolated organisms was obtained by subculture from starch agar media and on the basis of gram’s staining and a series of biochemical test. Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus were identified.