Cloning and expression of alkaline protease genes from two salt-tolerant alkaliphilic actinomycetes in E. coli

Cloning and expression of recombinant alkaline serine proteases from two salt tolerant alkaliphilic actinomycetes strains: OM-6 (EU710555.1) and OK-5 (HM560975) were successfully obtained in mesophilic host, Escherichia coli. The positive clones harboring protease genes were selected on the basis of restriction analysis on agarose gel. The effect of temperature and IPTG concentrations on the expression of recombinant proteases and solubilization of the expressed enzymes was assessed. SDS-PAGE revealed protease bands corresponding to 25 kDa and 20 kDa molecular mass representing OM-6 and OK-5 proteases, respectively. Cloning and expression of alkaline proteases from salt tolerant alkaliphilic actinomycetes would pave the way for further biochemical and molecular characterization to achieve unexplored features of the biocatalysts from extremophiles. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.