Partial purification and some properties of an alkaline cellulase from an alkalophilic Bacillus sp.

A newly isolated Bacillus species, which grew optimally at 30 degrees C and pH 10, produced a carboxymethylcellulase in a medium containing 10 g CM-cellulose/l. The enzyme, when partially purified by gel filtration, had a mass of about 29 kDa as determined by both SDS-PAGE and gel filtration chromatography. It was optimally active at pH 9.5 and 40 degrees C, and was stable from pH 7 to 11 at 4 degrees C for 24 h. The enzyme was stimulated by Ca2+ (1 mM) but was completely inhibited by Hg2+ (1 mM), Neither EDTA nor EGTA (10 mM) affected the activity.