Three hundred five actinomycetes isolated from different habitats were screened for their proteolytic activity using gelatin as substrate. As many as 153 (i.e., 50.17 %) isolates were found positive for proteolytic activity, out of which 12 isolates showed greater relative enzyme activity (REA ≥ 8.5). These isolates have been identified and further tested for production of proteases in liquid cultures.
Streptomyces exfoliatus
CFS 1068 and
Streptomyces sampsonii
GS 1322 were found to possess excellent protease activity i.e., equivalent to 115.2 and 116.0 U/ml.h in the culture filtrates. The significance of these actinomycetes in nature and in management of industrial waste has been discussed in the present paper.
