Proteases the most important group of enzymes produced commercially are used in detergent, protein, brewing, and meat, photographic, leather and dairy industries. Al-Razzaza, is the second largest lake located,10 kilometers west of Karbala province, Iraq. It is a unique ecosystem and harbors various haloalkaliphilic bacterial species which produces biotechnologically important thermo-haloalkaliphilic enzymes. The present study deals with the production and partial characterizations of enzyme protease isolated from Al-Razzaza Lake, Karbala. An effective proteolytic enzyme producing microbial strain has been isolated and evaluated its extracellular protease production properties with respect to different fermentative physiological parameters. The strain has been identified based on biochemical tests according to Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology as Bacillus sp. A total fifteen bacterial strains were isolated from the Al-Razzaza Lake water, sediment and matt samples. Out of these, one bacterium showing prominent proteolytic activity was characterized on the basis of morphological, cultural and biochemical parameter and identified as Bacillus sp. The alkaline protease produced by Bacillus spshowed optimum activities at pH 8, at temperature 700C. It proves that the enzyme alkaline protease produced by this bacillus has potential applications in food, pharmaceutical and detergent industries.
