A fungal alpha amylase is provided from Talaromyces emersonii (TeAmy1), along with variants of the same. TeAmy1 has an optimal pH of 3.5 and is operable over a temperature range of at least 30 75° C., allowing the enzyme to be used in combination with a glucoamylase in a saccharification reaction. This obviates the necessity of running a saccharification reaction as a batch process, where the pH and temperature must be readjusted for optimal use of the alpha amylase or glucoamylase. TeAmy1 also catalyzes the saccharification of starch substrates to an oligosaccharide composition significantly enriched in DP2 and (DP1+DP2) compared to the products of saccharification catalyzed by an alpha amylase from Aspergillus kawachii. This facilitates the utilization of the oligosaccharide composition by a fermenting organism in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process, for example.
