The effect of aeration of amylase production by Bacillus macerans.

During the course of an investigation on the cultural conditions affecting production of amylase by Bacillus macerans, it was observed that aeration resulted in an increase in amylase yields and in an appreciable decrease in the time of incubation necessary for its production. A 5 per cent rolled oats medium buffered with 2 per cent calcium carbonate, recommended as most suitable for amvlase production by Tilden and Hudson (1942), was employed. The sterile medium was inoculated with a heavy saline suspension of a 24-hour culture of B. macerans (Sch. no. 4) grown on nutrient agar containing l per cent glucose. Incubation was at-37 C. The time of incubation varied with the conditions of the experiment. Aeration was accomplished by passing sterile air, saturated with water vapor, through aloxite aerator stones.