African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (3), pp. 289-291, March 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2005 Academic Journals

Short Communication

Studies on the extraction and characterization of thermostable a-amylase from pericarp of Borassus indica

M. Srinivasa Rao^y, N.S. Reddy, G. Venkateswara Rao and K.R.S. Sambasiva Rao*

Center for Biotechnology Nagarjuna University, Nagarjunanagar, Guntur – 522 510, A.P., India.

*Correspondingauthor. E-Mail: krssrao@yahoo.com.

^yPresent address: Agribiotics Inc, 135 Turnbull Court, Cambride ON, Canada.

Accepted 14 August, 2004.

Thermostable a-amylase was extracted and characterized from the fruits (pericarp) of Borassus indica.  Analysis on the influence of various physico-chemical parameters on the extracted enzyme revealed a Vmax of 0.793 and a Km of 0.022. The optimum temperature was found to be 37⁰C at pH 4.5. The stability studies on enzyme activity envisaged that the enzyme is stable up to 80⁰C and retained its activity over a wide range of pH (4.0 – 8.5). Significant enhancement in the enzyme activity was observed in the presence of metal ions like Manganese and Strontium and an insignificant decrement in the presence of Sodium ions.

Key words: a-Amylase, Borassus indica, enzyme activity.