Directly mining a fungal thermostable α-amylase from Chinese Nong-flavor liquor starter.

This study provides a direct way to mine active enzymes from man-made environment of NF liquor starter, by which a fungal thermostable α-amylase (NFAmy13A) is successfully obtained. The good characteristics of NFAmy13A in degrading starch at high temperature are consistent with its pivotal role in solid-state fermentation of NF liquor brewing. This work would stimulate mining more enzymes from NF liquor starter and studying their potentially synergistic roles in NF liquor brewing, thus paving the way toward the optimization of liquor production and improvement of liquor quality in future.