Thesis (BS Food Technology) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2008

An amylase-producing microorganism was isolated from the gut of Rhynchophorus spp. larva (batud) found inside the infested trunk of sago (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.). the microorganism henceforth we call isolate 2, is Gram positive, single rods. The colony was small (about 1 mm diameter), white and transparent, entire, with a smooth texture having a convex elevation. Out of 13 microorganisms screened by their starch-clearing ability on starch agar plate, Isolate 2 was observed to be the highest amylase producing microorganism based on enzyme assay. The enzyme production was further improved by cultivating the isolate in MRS medium supplemented with raw sago starch for 18 hours without CaCO3. The crude enzyme obtained was partially purified in 2 stages, namely: ammonium sulphate precipitation coupled with dialysis, and ion-exchange chromatography using DEAE-Cellulose. Partial purification yielded an amylolytic enzyme with a specific activity of 43.72 U/mg protein at 2.15 fold purification and 34.76% recovery. The significance of this study lies in the potential of this enzyme to reduce the cost of processing starch into glucose if proven later to be a raw starch digestive amylase.