Thermophilic collagenases, thermophilic bacteria capable of producing thermophilic collagenases, and process for producing said collagenases

摘要

This invention relates to a process for producing collagenase, which comprises aerobically cultivating a collagenase-producing bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus, and recovering collagenase from the culture broth.PPThis invention also provides a thermophilic bacterium of the genus Bacillus which has the ability to produce collagenase and which grows at a temperature of 42 to 74. degree. C. and a pH of 5.0 to 9.0 and a novel thermophilic collagenase which does not substantially lose collagenase activity even when maintained for 1 hour at a temperature of 60 C. in the presence of a calcium ion at a pH in the range of 6.5 to 8.5, and which has a molecular weight, determined by gel filtration, between those of cytochrome C and ovalbumin.