Research Article

Improved thermostable α-amylase activity of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by low-energy ion implantation

Published: September 23, 2011
Genet. Mol. Res. 10 (3) : 2181-2189 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/vol10-3gmr1081
Cite this Article:
X.Y. Li, J.L. Zhang, S.W. Zhu (2011). Improved thermostable α-amylase activity of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by low-energy ion implantation. Genet. Mol. Res. 10(3): 2181-2189. https://doi.org/10.4238/vol10-3gmr1081
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Abstract

Thermostable α-amylase is of great importance in the starch fermentation industry; it is extensively used in the manufacture of beverages, baby foods, medicines, and pharmaceuticals. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens produces thermostable α-amylase; however, production of thermostable α-amylase is limited. Ion-beam implantation is an effective method for mutation breeding in microbes. We conducted ion-beam implantation experiments using two different ions, Ar+ and N+, to determine the survival rate of and dose effect on a high α-amylase activity strain of B. amyloliquefaciens that had been isolated from soil samples. N+ implantation resulted in a higher survival rate than Ar+ implantation. The optimum implantation dose was 2.08 × 1015 ions/cm2. Under this implantation condition, we obtained a thermally and genetically stable mutant α-amylase strain (RL-1) with high enzyme activity for degrading α-amylase. Compared to the parental strain (RL), the RL-1 strain had a 57.1% increase in α-amylase activity. We conclude that ion implantation in B. amyloliquefaciens can produce strains with increased production of thermostable α-amylase.

Thermostable α-amylase is of great importance in the starch fermentation industry; it is extensively used in the manufacture of beverages, baby foods, medicines, and pharmaceuticals. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens produces thermostable α-amylase; however, production of thermostable α-amylase is limited. Ion-beam implantation is an effective method for mutation breeding in microbes. We conducted ion-beam implantation experiments using two different ions, Ar+ and N+, to determine the survival rate of and dose effect on a high α-amylase activity strain of B. amyloliquefaciens that had been isolated from soil samples. N+ implantation resulted in a higher survival rate than Ar+ implantation. The optimum implantation dose was 2.08 × 1015 ions/cm2. Under this implantation condition, we obtained a thermally and genetically stable mutant α-amylase strain (RL-1) with high enzyme activity for degrading α-amylase. Compared to the parental strain (RL), the RL-1 strain had a 57.1% increase in α-amylase activity. We conclude that ion implantation in B. amyloliquefaciens can produce strains with increased production of thermostable α-amylase.

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