Exploration of Amylases Producing Competency of Helicoverpa Armigera Gut Bacterial Strain, Bacillus Subtilis RTSBA6 6.00

The Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous insect pest of agriculturally important crops. The alkaline gut of this insect pest possesses diverse bacterial communities which may assist in digestive physiology. As part our investigations of understanding the role of gut bacterial communities in insect gut, here amylase producing competency of earlier identified H. armigera gut bacterial strain, i.e., Bacillus subtilis RTSBA6 6.00 is reported. Initial screening for amylase activity was assessed by starch agar plate. Upon 7% sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis amylase zymography, bacterial culture supernatant produced seven amylase bands on the gel. The observed molecular weights of amylases were 191.2 KDa, 158.0 KDa, 131.7 KDa, 54.0 KDa, 31.3 KDa, 67.2 KDa, and 44.6 KDa, respectively. Considerable amylase activity was observed in neutral to alkaline pH with optimum at pH 6.8. The optimal activity temperature of amylases was found to be 50°C, and the activity decreased dramatically at temperatures above 75°C.