Acidic α-amylase of Bacillus acidicola: Attempts in Ameliorating Catalytic Efficiency and Production

α-Amylases are widely used enzymes in starch saccharification and baking industries, and in textile desizing. These are endoenzymes which cleave α-1,4-glycosidic linkages randomly in starch, thus, generate maltose and malto oligosaccharides. The commercially available α-amylases have certain limitations like a limited activity at low pH and Ca2+dependence, therefore, the search for novel acid stable, thermostable and Ca2+-independent amylases from extremophilic microorganisms has been a major area of research over the years. α-Amylase with the twin characteristics of thermostability and acid stability, to the extent desired, has not been easy to generate. We have been able to lay our hands on an acidophilic bacterium that produces acidstable α-amylase. By extensive efforts, we have successfully generated a recombinant acid stable and Ca2+independent α-amylase and produced it in high titres.