Biotechnological assessment of a halotolerant bacillaceae from west province of Mazandaran as a Novel source of extracellular proteases.

Nowadays, the industrial application of enzymes that are stable in harsh conditions, such as high temperature and salinity, is on the rise. Therefore, numerous efforts have been made to isolate these enzymes from extremophiles, with halophiles being among the most important producers. Halophiles are microorganisms capable of surviving in saline environments; they withstand high salt conditions and adapt by regulating osmotic pressure to resist the destructive effects of salt. The present study aims to isolate and investigate the characteristics of halophile bacteria with the potential to produce alkaline extracellular protease enzyme. Halophile bacteria were isolated from water and sediments of saline springs located in West Kelarabad, Mazandaran province. The diluted samples were inoculated onto selective MHA halophile medium, resulting in the isolation of 8 strains during the initial screening. The protease activity of these strains was tested on plates containing Skim Milk Agar. Five isolates showed potential for protease enzyme production, with isolate S-6 identified as the most promising. Physiological and biochemical analyses, along with 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, revealed that the isolated bacteria are 100% identical to Bacillus aryabhattai B8W22. This study is the first to report the isolation of bacteria from Kelarabad springs that produce alkaline extracellular protease enzyme.