Isolation, screening and optimization of amylase producing Bacillus sp. from soil

Amylases are one of the main enzymes used in industry. Such enzymes hydrolyze the starch molecules into polymers composed of glucose units. Amylases have potential application in a wide number of industrial processes such as food, fermentation and pharmaceutical industries. Studies were carried out to screen amylase producing microorganism from soil. Total 60 samples were collected from different locations of Paonta sahib. A sum total of 17 pure isolate of different amylase producing bacteria were isolated. Screening procedures adopted were plating of decimal dilutions of soil with incubation at 37°C, isolation of pure cultures and flooding of isolate grown on 1% starch agar with iodine. Amylase positive isolate was detected by the formation of a hallo against blue black background