A caracterização parcial de proteases extracelulares de Streptomyces clavuligerus foi investigada. A produção da enzima foi realizada pela fermentação em batelada utilizando farinha de soja como fonte de nitrogênio. O máximo rendimento foi obtido após 96 horas de fermentação com um pH inicial de 7,0. A enzima foi purificada parcialmente por precipitação com sulfato de amônia. Ambas enzimas reteram 37% de sua atividade inicial a pH 8,0, após 2 horas de incubação a 25ºC. O tempo de meia-vida das enzimas foi de 40,30 e 53,32 minutos, respectivamente para ambos 3585 e 644 (extrato parcialmente purificado) a pH 8,0 e 60ºC. Com relação ao pH, a atividade ótima foi alcançada a pH 7,0-8,0 e 8,4 para enzimas produzidas pelas amostras 3585 e 644 (extrato bruto) respectivamente e 8,4 e 8,0 para as enzimas obtidas a partir dos extratos parcialmente purificados das amostras 3585 e 644, respectivamente. A temperatura ótima para o extrato bruto foi de 21ºC para S. clavuligerus NRRL 3585 e 644. Contudo, para a preparação parcialmente purificada, a temperatura ótima foi de 50 e 40ºC para amostras S. clavuligerus NRRL 3585 e 644 respectivamente.

The partial characterization of extracellular proteases from Streptomyces clavuligerus NRRL 3585 and 644 mutant was investigated. The enzyme production was carried out in batch fermentation using soy bean filtrate as nitrogen source. Maximum activity was obtained after 96h of fermentation with an initial pH of 7.0. The enzyme was partially purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation. Enzymes from the two strains retained 37% of their initial activities at pH 8.0 after 2 h incubation at 25ºC. Enzyme half-life at pH 8.0 and 60ºC was 40.30 and 53.32 min, respectively for both strains (partially purified extract). The optimum pH was obtained at pH 7.0-8.0 and 8.4 for enzymes produced for 3585 and 644 strains (crude extract), respectively, and 8.4 and 8.0 for enzymes from the partially purified extract 3585 and 644 strains, respectively. The optimum temperature for the crude extract was 21ºC for both strains. However, for the partially preparation the optimum temperature was 50ºC and 40°C for S. clavuligerus NRRL 3585 and 644 strains respectively.

A Brazilian strain of Fusarium solani was tested for extracellular lipase production in peptone-olive oil medium. The fungus produced 10,500 U.l-1 of lipase after 72 hours of cultivation at 25oC in shake-flask at 120 rpm in a medium containing 3% (w/v) peptone plus 0.5% (v/v) olive oil. Glucose (1% w/v) was found to inhibit the inductive effect of olive oil. Peptone concentrations below 3% (w/v) resulted in a reduced lipase production while increased olive oil concentration (above 0.5%) did not further stimulate lipase production. The optimum lipase activity was achieved at pH 8.6 and 30oC and a good enzyme stability (80% activity retention) was observed at pH ranging from 7.6 to 8.6, and the activity rapidly dropped at temperatures above 50oC. Lipase activity was stimulated by the addition of n-hexane to the culture medium supernatants, in contrast to incubation with water-soluble solvents.