Industrial protease from Bacillus spp.: Spotlight on the untapped potential of Bacillus toyonensis

Aims: Proteases are key industrial enzymes applied in detergents, food, pharmaceuticals, leather, and bio-preservation.Among them, serine proteases are particularly important due to their catalytic efficiency, stability across wide temperature and pH ranges, and resistance to detergents and metals.Microbial proteases, especially those from Bacillus species, dominate commercial applications due to their rapid growth, high secretion capacity, and safety profile.Well-studied species such as Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis are already established producers of industrial proteases.Therefore, this review aims to highlight the potential of B. toyonensis as a novel protease source, particularly through recombinant expression technology. Methodology and results:The study was conducted based on a literature search through online databases focusing on previous laboratory-based experiments, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus.All the collected data were screened and analyzed.Bacillus toyonensis remains underexplored as a protease source.Although recognized for its probiotic and antimicrobial properties, little is known about its proteases, and systematic studies on recombinant production and stability enhancement are lacking.Therefore, based on the available data, a comparison of microbial protease sources and application was done to evaluate the necessity of finding new potential sources of microbial protease through recombinant DNA technology and protein engineering approaches.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Advances in recombinant DNA technology, protein engineering, and co-expression strategies, such as the use of Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, offer new opportunities to overcome production bottlenecks and improve protease robustness.Exploring B. toyonensis proteases could diversify industrial enzyme resources and expand sustainable biocatalysis.