Production and partial purification of cellulase from a novel fungus,Aspergillus flavus BS1

This study describes the isolation and characterization of a novel fungus, Aspergillus flavus BS1 and its cellulolytic activities with special emphasis on endoglucanase production. Preliminary screening studies showed that A. flavus BS1 was a potent strain for the production of cellulase. To study the cellulolytic activities in detail by submerged fermentation (SmF), productions of endoglucanase, exoglucanase, and β-glucosidase were estimated from the basal salt medium (BSM) supplemented with 1 % carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC). CMC medium supported the maximum yield of endoglucanase (2,793 U/ml) on day 5 of incubation at 28 °C and 150 rpm, which was higher than that obtained with naturally available supplements (flour) from banana, tapioca, potato, or banana peel. During cellulase production by solid-state fermentation, 10 % (w/w) tapioca flour in sawdust (teak wood) moisturized with BSM (1:2, w/v) supported maximum cellulase yield (5,408 U/g dry substrate) on day 3 at 28 °C, which was 2-fold higher than that obtained during SmF. The active cellulase was qualitatively estimated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Native-PAGE (0.25 % CMC impregnated on the 10 % gel) activity staining with congo-red showed a clear zone for CMCase activity, whereas SDS-PAGE showed a distinct band. In conclusion, this study showed that A. flavus strain BS1 is a potent strain for the production of cellulase on lignocellulosic media, the hot enzyme for bioethanol production from the lignocellulosic biomass by SSF.