Identification and Production of Constitutive Chitosanase from Bacillus sp. HW-002

A chitosanase-producing bacteria was isolated on chitosan agar plate from soil samples. The strain was spore-forming gram positive bacteria, catalase positive, and rod shape. The strain was identified as Bacillus cereus. The strain did not need an inducer for the synthesis of chitosanase. Chitosanase from Bacillus sp. HW-002 was constitutive enzyme. The optimal medium for the production of the enzyme was composed of 0.5<TEX>$\%$</TEX> sucrose and <TEX>$1.5\%$</TEX> yeast extract-tryptone (1:1 w/w) mixture at pH 6.5. After Bacillus sp. HW-002 was cultivated at <TEX>$32^{circ}C$</TEX> for 32 h, maximal productivity was gained to be about 27, 200 U/l. Chitosanase from Bacillus sp. HW-002 was a mixed growth-linked metabolite.