Evaluation of penicillin acylase production by two strains of Bacillus megaterium.

Penicillin acylase is a key enzyme for the production of semisynthetic beta-lactam antibiotics. The intracellular enzyme from Escherichia coli has been thoroughly studied and characterized. The extracellular enzyme from Bacillus megaterium, despite its potential advantages, has received less attention in the recent scientific literature. A comparative study is presented for the production of penicillin acylase with two strains of Bacillus megaterium in batch fermentation in previously optimized complex and defined media. The enzyme produced by the selected strain has been recovered, partially purified and its kinetic behaviour determined.