Isolation and Identification of Thermophilic Bacteria, Producer of Amylase Enzyme, from Lake Linow, North Sulawesi

Abstract

Thermophilic bacteria live at temperatures above 450 C. Many investigations focused on their potential as sources of highly active enzymes ‘termostable enzyme’ and other products such as antibiotics and compatible solutes. Lake Linow is an active volcanic lake located in Tomohon City, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Lake Linow becomes the habitat of thermophilic bacteria. A study has been conducted to obtain isolates of thermophilic bacteria and to screen for the potential of thermostable amylase enzymes produced by thermophilic bacteria, Linow lake isolates. Stages of research that have been done are bacterial isolation, thermotolerance test, morphological analysis, biochemical test and amylase activity screening. The results of this research were obtained six isolates that can survive at 450C and three isolates that can survive at 550C. Two bacterial isolates showed amylolytic activity at a temperature of 55 0 C - 60 0 C. Thus, isolate thermophilic bacteria from Linow lake, potentially as a source of thermostable amylase enzyme.