Enzymatic degradation of granular potato starch by Microbacterium aurum strain B8.A.

Microbacterium aurum strain B8.A was isolated from the sludge of a potato starch-processing factory on the basis of its ability to use granular starch as carbon- and energy source. Extracellular enzymes hydrolyzing granular starch were detected in the growth medium of M.

Paenibacillus granivorans sp. nov., a new Paenibacillus species which degrades native potato starch granules.

From a native potato starch-degrading enrichment culture, strain A30 had been isolated and had tentatively been identified as a member of the Bacillus firmus/lentus group (Wijbenga et al. Appl. Microbiol.