Comparison of the Influence of Carbon Substrates on the Fibrolytic Activities of Anaerobic Rumen Fungi

Cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities among genera of anaerobic fungi when grown on glucose, xylan and the cellulosic substrates, filter paper and Avicel were compared. All the fungi had basal extracellular fibrolytic activities that could be enhanced by growth on xylan or the cellulosic substrates. However,Piromyces communisstrain 22 andNeocallimastix patriciarumstrain 27 had substantially greater levels of fibrolytic activity thanOrpinomyces joyoniistrain 19-2 orNeocallimastix frontalisstrain RE1. Zymogram analysis suggested both structural and regulatory differences amongst the enzyme systems of the fungi. Numerous and varied enzyme bands were evidenced for all the fungi, with substantial substrate influences seen in the xylanase activities. Most commonly the smaller molecular weight bands, found exclusively extracellularly, appeared under the greatest regulatory control. Endoglucanase activities ofP. communisandO. joyoniidemonstrated similar regulatory control, while those of the twoNeocallimastixstrains did not appear to exert such control. These results suggest that while the enzymatic activities are functionally similar, there are likely significant variations in the enzyme systems of the anaerobic fungi.