Octopus vulgaris의 장관으로부터 단백질 가수분해력과 활성을 측정함으로서 높은 단백질분해효소 생성능을 가진 균을 분리하여 동정하였다. 균이 생성한 단백질분해효소는 황산암모늄침전, cellulose CM-52 양이온 교환 크로마토그래피, DEAE-Sephadex A50 음이온 교환 크로마토그래피의 3단계를 통해 정제하였다. 장관으로부터 분리한 균중 가장 높은 단백질분해효소 생성능을 가진 균은 Bacillus sp. QDV-3로 나타났으며 이균을 분리한 후 표현형 분석, 생화학적 특성, 16S rRNA 유전자염기서열분석을 통해 Bacteria역, Firmicutes문, Bacilli강, Bacillales목, Bacillaceae과, Bacillus속으로 Bacillus flexus와 99.2%의 유사성을 보이는 것으로 확인하였다. 균이 생성한 단백질 분해효소를 QDV-E로 지정하였으며 61.6 kDa의 분자량을 나타내었다. 이 효소는 pH 9.0~9.5에서 활성을 나타내었고 최적온도는 $40^{circ}C$였으며 $50^{circ}C$에서는 60분간 96% 이상의 활성을 보유하였다. Phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF)에 의하여 활성이 억제 되었으므로 세린 알칼리성 단백 분해 효소인 것으로 결론지었다. 금속이온인 $Mn^{2+}$ 와 $Mg^{2+}$에 의하여 효소활성 상승효과를 보였으며 $Ba^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, 그리고 $Cu^{2+}$에 의하여 활성이 억제되었다.
A high protease-producing strain was isolated and identified from the digestive tract of octopus vulgaris by detecting a hydrolysis circle of protease and its activity. The strain was identified by morphology observation, biochemical experiments, and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The protease obtained from the strain was purified by a three-step process involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, carboxy methyl-cellulose (CM-52) cation-exchange chromatography, and DEAE-Sephadex A50 anion-exchange chromatography. The properties of protease were characterized as well. The strain Bacillus sp. QDV-3, which produced the highest activity of protease, was isolated. On the basis of the phenotypic and biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene-sequencing studies, the isolate was identified as follows: domain: Bacteria; phylum: Firmicutes; class: Bacilli; order: Bacillales; family: Bacillaceae; and genus: Bacillus. The isolate was shown to have a 99.2% similarity with Bacillus flexus. A high active protease designated as QDV-E, with a molecular weight of 61.6 kDa, was obtained. The enzyme was found to be active in the pH range of 9.0-9.5 and its optimum temperature was $40^{circ}C$. The protease activity retained more than 96% at the temperature of $50^{circ}C$ for 60 min. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibited the enzyme activity, thus confirming that this protease isolated from Bacillus sp. QDV-3 is an alkaline serine protease. Metal ions, $Mn^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$, were determined to enhance the protease activity, whereas $Ba^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Cu^{2+}$ were found to inactivate the enzyme.
