Production of xylanases from a newly isolated alkalophilic thermophilic Bacillus sp.

A new thermophilic strain of Bacillus SPS-0 which produces thermostable xyl anases was isolated from a hot spring in Portugal. Xylanase production was 50 nkat/ml in the presence of wheat bran arabinoxylan. The temperature and pH for optimum activity were 75 degrees C and 6-9, respectively. The hydrol ysis patterns demonstrated that crude xylanases yield mainly xylose and xyl obiose from xylan, whereas xylose and arabinose were produced from destarch ed wheat bran. An increase in xylose release was observed when SPS-0 xylana se was supplemented by a ferulic acid esterase.