Protease Activity Screening: Detect extracellular proteases via casein hydrolysis (clear halos) using the skim milk in the LA base.

Differentiation of Proteolytic Bacteria: Assess protease production by Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Serratia marcescens.

Dairy and Food Microbiology QC: Enumerate and identify proteolytic contaminants in milk and dairy process samples.

Mutant and Strain Screening: Select and compare protease-overproducing or protease-deficient bacterial mutants.

Enzyme Regulation Studies: Monitor secreted protease expression under different growth conditions or quorum signals (e.g., in Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

Inhibitor Testing: Evaluate protease inhibitors by measuring reduced casein clearing around colonies.

Teaching and Demonstration Labs: Illustrate casein hydrolysis and extracellular enzyme secretion in microbiology courses.

General Cultivation: Grow and isolate diverse bacteria on a non-selective LA base supplemented with skim milk and 2% agar.