ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE Available Online at www.ijpba.info International Journal of Pharmaceutical & Biological Archives 2012; 3(2):300-306 Amylase Production byBacillus sp. Using Cassava as Substrate

Amylases are enzymes which hydrolyze starch molecules to give diverse products including dextrin and progressively smaller polymers composed of glucose units. These enzymes are of great significance in present day biotechnology with applications ranging from food, fermentation, textile to paper industries. Although amylases can be derived from several sources, including plants, animals and microorganisms, microbial enzymes generally meet industrial demands. In the present study, the bacteria was isolated from the soil samples. The bacteria isolated was identified as Bacillus sp. based on Staining techniques, motility test, plating on selective media and biochemical tests. Amylase production by Bacillus sp. was detected by the disappearance of blue colour in the starch agar medium around the microbial colonies after incubation. Cassava was used as the substrates for the amylase production. Solid state fermentation was carried out for the production of amylase using Bacillus sp. The effect of different carbon and nitrogen source, Temperature and pH was determined on enzyme production by Bacillus sp. Amylase activity was determined by four methods such as DNSA method, Dextrinizing activity method, decrease in starch-iodine color intensity and Plate assay