Bacillus tequilensis ZMS-2: A novel source of alkaline protease with antimicrobial, anti-coagulant, fibrinolytic and dehairing potentials

Emerging resistance to existing antimicrobial agents is one of the growing concerns and a serious problem for public health globally. Currently available antimicrobial agents are potent and effective but surfacing resistance to these drugs has not been ruled out so far. Therefore, it is utmost important to explore new bioactive compounds from natural sources to meet future needs. The present study was designed to produce, optimize, characterize and evaluate antimicrobial, fibrinolytic and anti-coagulant potential of a new alkaline protease. Proteolytic strain from desert soils of Tharparkar, Pakistan was subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing and identified as Bacillus tequilensis ZMS-2(Genbank Accession No. MK101013). During submerged fermentation at 37ºC, maximum enzyme production (454 U/ml) was observed with 24h old inoculum. The best incubation time was 72h (544 U/ml), optimum inoculum size and pH was 10% at pH 8 with 494 and 506 U/ml, respectively. The best carbon source was starch (571 U/ml), while ideal substrate was wheat bran (536 U/ml). Optimal temperature and pH for proteolytic activity was 60ºC (420 U/ml) and 8 (332 U/ml). Alkaline protease showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (27mm), Bacillus licheniformis (20mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17mm) and Escherichia coli (15mm). The strain B. tequilensis ZMS-2 also exhibited anticoagulant, fibrinolytic and dehairing potential suggesting application of its protease in various industries.