EN
This work reports the effects of some culture conditions on the production of glucose isomerase by Bacillus licheniformis. The bacterium was selected based on the release of 3.62 mg/mL fructose from the fermentation of glucose. Enzyme was produced using a variety of carbon substrates but the highest enzyme activity was detected in a medium containing 0.5% xylose and 1% glycerol (specific activity = 6.88 U/mg protein). Media containing only xylose or glucose gave lower enzyme productivies (specific activities= 4.60 and 2.35 U/mg protein respectively). The effects of nitrogen substrates on glucose isomerase production showed that yeast extract supported maximum enzyme activity (specific activity = 5.24 U/mg protein). Lowest enzyme activity was observed with sodium trioxonitrate (specific activity = 2.44 U/mg protein). In general, organic nitrogen substrates supported higher enzyme productivity than inorganic nitrogen substrates. Best enzyme activity was observed in the presence of Mg2+ (specific activity = 6.85 U/mg protein) while Hg2+ was inhibitory (specific activity = 1.02 U/mg protein). The optimum pH for best enzyme activity was 6.0 while optimum temperature for enzyme production was 50ºC.