Isolation and Characteristics of Bacillus subtilis CN2 and its Collagenase Production

ABSTRACT: : An isolated bacterium strain named CN2 found in Vietnamese fish sauce has been identified as Bacillus subtilis. In an enzyme‐producing medium with 0% and 8% NaCl concentration, the CN2 strain produced the maximum collagenase activity, 3.07 U/ml and 2.60 U/ml. The strain also produced gelatinase, but the maximum activity was only 1.03 U/ml at 8 h of incubation time and prolonged more than 22 h. Bacillus subtilis CN2, grown slowly in a medium containing 12% NaCl, showed a decreased rate of collagenase activity with a maximum activity of 1.60 U/ml at 18 h of incubation time. The culture supernatant of CN2 strain digested a purified native collagen from rat tail tendon as well as αs‐casein at Met 123 ‐Lys 124 position. Therefore The culture supernatant of CN2 can be used to produce healthy foods.