Amylases are a group of enzymes that degrade starch into simple sugars. These proteins are produced by a wide variety of organisms and are supposed to be one of the most valuable industrial enzymes. However, the extreme conditions required for many industrial operations limit the applicability of most amylases found in nature. In this context, halophilic archaea entail an excellent source of novel proteins that tolerate harsh conditions, as they live in environments with high salt concentration and temperature. In this work, a screening of haloarchaea, isolated from Odiel salterns in the southwest of Spain, was carried out to select a new strain with a high amylase activity. This microorganism was identified as Haloarcula sp. HS and showed amylase activities in both, the cellular and the extracellular extracts. Both amylase activities were poly-extremotolerant, as their optimal yields were achieved at 60 °C and 25% NaCl. Additionally, the study of the protein sequences from Haloarcula sp. HS allowed the identification of three different amylases, which conserved the typical structure of the alpha-amylase family. Finally, the applicability of the extracellular amylase to treat bakery wastes under high salinity conditions was demonstrated.
