Cost Effective Production of a Novel Collagenase from a Non-Pathogenic Isolate Bacillus tequilensis

Isolation and screening of collagen degrading non-pathogenic microorganisms from insects and annelids samples was intended. Production of a novel highly active extracellular collagenase by a non-pathogenic Bacillus tequilensis isolated from earthworm has been reported. The culture was grown on medium containing (g/L) meat extract 10.0, peptone 10.0 and gelatin 1.0 and 2.1-fold increase in enzyme activity was attained on optimizing various fermentation parameters. The cost effective production of collagenase by B. tequilensis was achieved by utilizing wastes of meat industry as the sole carbon and nitrogen source.