Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2006.2122.2126AftabSidra AhmedSamia SaeedSadia RasoolSheikh Ajaz112006911Fifty-three alkaliphile bacterial isolates were collected from various fields of cosmopolitan city of Karachi, out of which 25 were alkaline protease producers. Bacillus brevis SSA1 was selected as the best enzyme producer and was used for further physico-chemical studies. B. brevis SSA1 started producing alkaline protease SSA1 after 74 h of incubation at 35°C. Activity potential of enzyme by agar-well diffusion method was found to be 800 AU mL-1. Although enzyme produced by B. brevis SSA1 was active over a wide range of pH (7-13), however, its optimal pH was found to be 8.0. The optimal temperature for enzyme activity was 60°C while enzyme activity remains stabled up to 80°C but gets inactivated at higher temperatures. Enzyme activity was totally inhibited in the presence of 5.0 mM PMSF that suggests the enzyme was related to serine alkaline protease. EDTA (inhibitor of metalloprotease) did not show any detrimental effect on the enzyme activity. Mercaptoethanol, SDS and H2O2 had no effect on alkaline protease activity. Metal ions like Cd+2, Ag+ and Ni+2 had some inhibitory effect while activity was completely lost in the presence of Zn+2. Alkaline protease SSA1 was not only stable in the presence of commercial detergent but also gave better result of washing with detergent, hence it can be used as additive in detergents for washing purposes.]]>Adinarayana, K., P. Ellaiah and D.S. Prasad,2003Bacillus subtillis PE-11.]]>4E56E64Al-Shehri, M.A. and M.S. Yasser,2004Bacillus licheniformis isolated from Tihamet Aseer, Saudi Arabia.]]>716311635Anwar, A. and M. Saleemuddin,2000Spilosoma obliqua: Potential applications in bio-formulations.]]>318589Aoyama, M., M. Yasuda, K. Nakachi, N. Kobamoto, H. Oku and F. Kato,2000Bacillus pumilus derives from a serine proteinase.]]>53390395Cheesbrough, M.,2000Part 2,pp: 157-234pp: 157-234Denizci, A.A, D. Kazan, E.C.A. Abeln and A. Erarslan,2004Bacillus clausii GMBAE 42: An alkaline protease producer capable to grow under higly alkaline conditions.]]>96320327Feng, Y.Y., W.B. Yang, S.L. Ong, J.Y. Hu and W.J. Nig,2001Bacillus pumilus strain.]]>57153160Fereshteh, E., F. Jamsheed and F. Mehrzad,2003Bacillus from soil.]]>1183185Fujiwara, N., K. Yamamoto and A. Masui,199172306308Gessesse, A., R. Hatti-Kaul, B. Gashe and B. Mattasson,200332519524Graycar, T.P.,19991999pp: 2214-2222pp: 2214-2222Gupta, R., K. Gupta, R.K. Saxena and S. Khan,1999Bacillus sp.]]>21135138Gupta, R., Q. Beg, S. Khan and B. Chauhan,200260381395Gusek, T.W. and J.E. Kinsella,1987Thermomonospora fusca YX.]]>246511517Hameed, A., M.A. Natt and C.S. Evans,1996Bacillus subtilis isolate for use as a bating enzyme in leather treatment.]]>12289291Horikoshi, K.,1971Bacillus No. 221.]]>3514071414Joo, H.S., C.G. Kumar, G.C. Park, S.R. Paik and C.S. Chang,2003Bacillus clausii l-52: Production and some properties.]]>95267272Kaliz, H.K.,198836165Kobayashi, T., Y. Hakamada, S. Adachi, J. Hitomi and T. Yoshimatsue et al.,1995Bacillus sp. KSM-K16.]]>43473481Lowry, O.H., N.J. Rosebrough, A.L. Farr and R.J. Randall,1951193265275Najafi, M.F., D. Deobagkar and D. Deobagkar,2005Pseudomonas aeruginosa PD100.]]>8197203Peek, K., R.M. Daniel, C. Monk, L. Parker and T. Coolbear,1992Thermos sp. Rt 41A.]]>20710351044Polgar, L.,1989pp: 43-76pp: 43-76Rasool, S.A., S. Ahmed and A. Iqbal,1996086774Rao, M.B., A.M. Tanksale, M.S. Ghatge and V.V. Deshpande,199862597635Schallmey, M., A. Singh and O.P. Ward,2004Bacillus species for industrial production.]]>50117Sharmin, S., M.T. Hossain and M.N. Anwar,2004Lactobacillus species isolated from Rumen.]]>721052108Takami, H., T. Akiba and K. Horikoshi,1992Bacillus sp. No. AH-101.]]>563333341Thangam, E.B. and G.S. Rajkumar,2002Alcaligenes faecalis.]]>35149154Yang, J.K., I.L. Shih, Y.M. Tzeng and S.L. Wang,2000Bacillus subtilis that can deproteinize crustascean wastes.]]>26406413