Monascus purpureus CCRC31499 produced a protease when it was grown in a medium containing shrimp and crab shell powder (SCSP) of marine wastes. An extracellular protease was purified from the culture supernatant to homology. The protease had a molecular weight of C C, 40,000 and a pI of 7.9. The optimal pH, optimum temperature, pH stability, and thermal stability of the protease were pH 7-9, 40 degrees C, pH 5-9, and 40 degrees C, respectively. In addition to protease activity, CCRC31499 also exhibited activity of enhancing vegetable growth in culture supernatant. This is also the first report of isolation of a protease from Monascits species. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.