Preparation of an alkaline protease

Claim 1

A process for preparing a novel alkaline protease which is a columnar crystalline powder, having a molecular weight of about 33,000 by the Archibald method, with analytical values of 48.04% carbon, 6.62% hydrogen, 16.07% nitrogen, 0.31% sulfur, the balance being oxygen, having an optimal activity at pH about 11.5, the relative activity being about 8%, 32%, 58%, 80%, 97% and 80% respectively at pH 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 with casein as the substrate, said enzyme exhibiting an isoelectric point of about 10 and a sedimentation constant of about 3,3S, comprising inoculating Bacillus sp. No. 221 (ATCC 21522) in a culture medium, in which no sugars are contained and having the composition of a carbonate, a carbon source other than a carbonate, a nitrogen source, and an inorganic material, cultering said Bacillus in said culture medium at pH 6 to 10 for a period sufficient to impart substantial proteolytic enzyme activity to said culture medium and to produce said alkaline protease in said medium, and collecting said alkaline protease from said culture medium.