In the present study, thermophilic and amylase producing bacterium Bacillus subtilis K-18 (KX881940) was isolated from local environment and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology. The amylase producing potential was checked by starch hydrolysis test using potato peels as carbon source. Central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize multiple process parameters such as substrate concentration, inoculum size, yeast extract, and pH. The optimized conditions obtained from RSM model were substrate concentration (2%), inoculum size (4%), yeast extract concentration (0.6%), and pH (5) yielding amylase activity of 1394.145 IU/ml after 24 hr of fermentation period at 50 °C. The maximum saccharification by indigenously produced amylase was 32.03% after 24 hr of incubation. The results confirmed that amylase produced by this newly isolated Bacillus subtilis K-18 (KX881940) could be potent strain for industrial process particular for biofuel production. Practical application The enzyme produced in this study could be effectively used in hydrolysis of starch to produce sugars which could be widely used for the production of various chemicals such ethanol and other products through fermentation. This enzyme also has potential application in textile industry.
