$\beta$-Amylase System Capable of Hydrolyzing Raw Starch Granules from Bacillus polymyxa No. 26 and Bacterial Identification

A soil bacterium which produces raw starch-digesting $\beta$-amylase in culture medium, has been screened from soils. One strain, isolated and identified as Bacillus polymyxa No. 26, was selected as a $\beta$-amylase producing bacterium. Morphological and biological characteristics of the strain were found to be similar to those of a strain belonging to B. polymyxa. The electron microscopic observations of the bacterial vegetative cells and sporulated cells were extensively done to know the corelation between the enzyme synthesis and sporulation. When the bacterium was cultured on the appropriate media (3% dextrin, 0.3% beef extract, 0.5% polypeptone, 1% yeast extract and 0.3% NaCl at pH 7.0 for 4 days) raw starch-digestible $\beta$-amylase was produced extracellularly. This strain produced 130 units of $\beta$-amylase per ml in a culture medium containing 3% dextrin at $30^\circ{C}$. This value is compared to those of other $\beta$-amylase-producing strains. The optimum pH and temperature for crude enzymes were pH 6.5 to 7.0 and $50^\circ{C}$, respectively. The enzymes were stable between pH 5.5 and 9.0 for 30 min at $45^\circ{C}$.