OPTIMIZATION OF CULTURE CONDITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PROTEASE BY Pleurotus eryngii

Abstract

Present study focuses to optimize the protease enzyme production by edible mushrooms. For the specified goal to achieve the growth of Pleurotus eryngii cultured on potato dextrose agar medium incubating at temperature 24ºC, pH 5.6 for 7 days. The maintained culture was processed for the production on  ermentation media, i.e., glucose 20 g/L, peptone 10 g/L, corn steep 3.0 g/L and ammonium nitrate 1.0 g/L on pH 6.5. The best time for maximum production was observed to be four days from incubation. After selecting the optimum time for the enzyme production, the optimum nutrient contents were checked. Sucrose (0.5%) and casein (1%) were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The maximum protease production was achieved at pH 6.5 and the maximum enzyme yield was found at 22ºC,