Cellulase kinetics as a function of cellulose pretreatment

Microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) was subjected to three different pretreatments (acid, alkaline, and organosolv) before exposure to a mixture of cellulases (Celluclast). Addition of beta-glucosidase, to avoid the well-known inhibition of cellulase by cellobiose, markedly accelerated cellulose hydrolysis up to a ratio of activity units (beta-glucosidase/cellulase) of 20. All pretreatment protocols of Avicel were found to slightly increase its degree of crystallinity in comparison with the untreated control. Adsorption of both cellulase and beta-glucosidase on cellulose is significant and also strongly depends on the wall material of the reactor. The conversion-time behavior of all four states of Avicel was found to be very similar. Jamming of adjacent cellulase enzymes when adsorbed on microcrystalline cellulose surface is evident at higher concentrations of enzyme, beyond 400 U/L cellulase/8 kU/L beta-glucosidase. Jamming explains the observed and well-known dramatically slowing rate of cellulose hydrolysis at high degrees of conversion. In contrast to the enzyme concentration, neither the method of pretreatment nor the presence or absence of presumed fractal kinetics has an effect on the calculated jamming parameter for cellulose hydrolysis.     

Phototoxicity of protoporphyrin as related to its subcellular localization in mice livers after short-term feeding with griseofulvin.

The substrate specificities of three cellulases and a beta-glucosidase purified from Thermoascus aurantiacus were examined. All three cellulases partially degraded native cellulose. Cellulase I, but not cellulase II and cellulase III, readily hydrolyzed the mixed beta-1,3; beta-1,6-polysaccharides such as carboxymethyl-pachyman, yeast glucan and laminarin. Both cellulase I and the beta-glucosidase degraded xylan, and it is proposed that the xylanase activity is an inherent feature of these two enzymes. Lichenin (beta-1,4; beta-1,3) was degraded by all three cellulases. Cellulase II cannot degrade carboxymethyl-cellulose, and with filter paper as substrate the end product was cellobiose, which indicates that cellulase II is an exo-beta-1,4-glucan cellobiosylhydrolase. Degradation of cellulose (filter paper) can be catalysed independently by each of the three cellulases; there was no synergistic effect between any of the cellulases, and cellobiose was the principal product of degradation. The mode of action of one cellulase (cellulase III) was examined by using reduced cellulodextrins. The central linkages of the cellulodextrins were the preferred points of cleavage, which, with the rapid decrease in viscosity of carboxymethyl-cellulose, confirmed that cellulase III was an endocellulase. The rate of hydrolysis increased with chain length of the reduced cellulodextrins, and these kinetic data indicated that the specificity region of cellulase III was five or six glucose units in length.     

Optimization of enzyme complexes for lignocellulose hydrolysis

The ability of a commercial Trichoderma reesei cellulase preparation (Celluclast 1.5L), to hydrolyze the cellulose and xylan components of pretreated corn stover (PCS) was significantly improved by supplementation with three types of crude commercial enzyme preparations nominally enriched in xylanase, pectinase, and beta-glucosidase activity. Although the well-documented relief of product inhibition by beta-glucosidase contributed to the observed improvement in cellulase performance, significant benefits could also be attributed to enzymes components that hydrolyze non-cellulosic polysaccharides. It is suggested that so-called "accessory" enzymes such as xylanase and pectinase stimulate cellulose hydrolysis by removing non-cellulosic polysaccharides that coat cellulose fibers. A high-throughput microassay, in combination with response surface methodology, enabled production of an optimally supplemented enzyme mixture. This mixture allowed for a approximately twofold reduction in the total protein required to reach glucan to glucose and xylan to xylose hydrolysis targets (99% and 88% conversion, respectively), thereby validating this approach towards enzyme improvement and process cost reduction for lignocellulose hydrolysis.     

Production of cellulases and hemicellulases by Penicillium echinulatum grown on pretreated sugar cane bagasse and wheat bran in solid-state fermentation

AIM: To evaluate the solid-state fermentation (SSF) production of cellulase and hemicellulases (xylanases), by Penicillium echinulatum 9A02S1, in experiments carried out with different concentrations of the pretreated sugar cane bagasse (PSCB) and wheat bran (WB). METHODS AND RESULTS: This study reports the production of xylanolytic and cellulolytic enzymes by P. echinulatum 9A02S1 using a cheap medium containing PSCB and WB under SSF. The highest amounts of filter paper activity (FPA) could be measured on mixtures of PSCB and WB (32.89 +/- 1.90 U gdm(-1)). The highest beta-glucosidase activity was 58.95 +/- 2.58 U gdm(-1) on the fourth day. The highest activity for endoglucanases was 282.36 +/- 1.23 U gdm(-1) on the fourth day, and for xylanases the activity was around 10 U gdm(-1) from the second to the fourth day. CONCLUSIONS: The present work has established the potential of P. echinulatum for FPA, endoglucanase, beta-glucosidase and xylanase productions in SSF, indicating that WB may be partially substituted by PSCB. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The incorporation of cheap sources, such as sugar cane bagasse, into media for the production of lignocellulose enzymes should help decrease the production costs of enzymatic complexes that can hydrolyse lignocellulose residues for the formation of fermented syrups, thus contributing to the economic production of bioethanol.     

Effect of methylxanthines on production of cellulases by Penicillium echinulatum

AIM: In this work, the effect of supplementing liquid cellulase production media (CPM) with methylxanthines (aminophylline, caffeine and theophylline), with and without the addition of glucose, on the secretion of cellulases by Penicillium echinulatum strain 2HH (wild-type) and the derived mutant strain 9A02S1 was studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: When compared with unsupplemented CPM, both strains produced higher beta-glucosidase and filter paper activities (FPAs) in CPM supplemented with 1 micromol l(-1) of caffeine but lower activities with 5 micromol l(-1) of caffeine. With theophylline only, strain 9A02S1 produced higher beta-glucosidase and FPAs, while aminophylline produced no effect on the cellulase activity of either strain. Supplementation of CPM with 0.5% (w/v) of glucose plus caffeine resulted in higher beta-glucosidase and FPAs being produced by strain 2HH, but not strain 9A02S1, than in CPM supplemented with 0.5% (w/v) of glucose only. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that different concentrations of caffeine and theophylline can increase the beta-glucosidase and FPAs produced by P. echinulatum strains 2HH and 9A02S1. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results suggest that some methylxanthines, in adequate concentration, can be used as media components to increase cellulase production.     

A thermotolerant beta-glucosidase isolated from an endophytic fungi, Periconia sp., with a possible use for biomass conversion to sugars

A fungal strain, BCC2871 (Periconia sp.), was found to produce a thermotolerant beta-glucosidase, BGL I, with high potential for application in biomass conversion. The full-length gene encoding the target enzyme was identified and cloned into Pichia pastoris KM71. Similar to the native enzyme produced by BCC2871, the recombinant beta-glucosidase showed optimal temperature at 70 degrees C and optimal pH of 5 and 6. The enzyme continued to exhibit high activity even after long incubation at high temperature, retaining almost 60% of maximal activity after 1.5h at 70 degrees C. It was also stable under basic conditions, retaining almost 100% of maximal activity after incubation for 2h at pH8. The enzyme has high activity towards cellobiose and other synthetic substrates containing glycosyl groups as well as cellulosic activity toward carboxymethylcellulose. Thermostability of the enzyme was improved remarkably in the presence of cellobiose, glucose, or sucrose. This beta-glucosidase was able to hydrolyze rice straw into simple sugars. The addition of this beta-glucosidase to the rice straw hydrolysis reaction containing a commercial cellulase, Celluclast 1.5L (Novozyme, Denmark) resulted in increase of reducing sugars being released compared to the hydrolysis without the beta-glucosidase. This enzyme is a candidate for applications that convert lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels and chemicals.     

Feasibility test of utilizing Saccharophagus degradans 2-40T as the source of crude enzyme for the saccharification of lignocellulose

In the conversion of lignocellulose into high-value products, including fuels and chemicals, the production of cellulase and the enzymatic hydrolysis for producing fermentable sugar are the largest contributors to the cost of production of the final products. The marine bacterium Saccharophagus degradans 2-40^T can degrade more than ten different complex polysaccharides found in the ocean, including cellulose and xylan. Accordingly, S. degradans has been actively considered as a practical source of crude enzymes needed for the saccharification of lignocellulose to produce ethanol by others including a leading commercial company. However, the overall enzyme system of S. degradans for hydrolyzing cellulose and hemicellulose has not been quantitatively evaluated yet in comparison with commercial enzymes. In this study, the inductions and activities of cellulase and xylanase of cell-free lysate of S. degradans were investigated. The growth of S. degradans cells and the activities of cellulase and xylanase were promoted by adding 2 % of cellulose and xylan mixture (cellulose:xylan = 4:3 in mass ratio) to the aquarium salt medium supplemented with 0.2 % glucose. The specific cellulase activity of the cell-free lysate of S. degradans, as determined by the filter paper activity assay, was approximately 70 times lower than those of commercial cellulases, including Celluclast 1.5 L and Accellerase 1000. These results imply that significant improvement in the cellulase activity of S. degradans is needed for the industrial uses of S. degradans as the enzyme source.     

Characterization of cellobiose fermentations to ethanol by yeasts

Twenty-two different yeasts were screened for their ability to ferment both glucose and cellobiose. The fermentation characteristics of Candida lusitaniae (NRRL Y-5394) and C. wickerhamii (NRRL Y-2563) were selected for further study because their initial rate of ethanol production from cellobiose was faster than the other test cultures. C. lusitaniae produced 44 g/L ethanol from 90 g/L cellobiose after 5-7 days. When higher carbohydrate concentrations were employed, fermentation ceased when the ethanol concentration reached 45-60 g/L. C. lusitaniae exhibited barely detectable levels of beta-glucosidase, even though the culture actively fermented cellobiose. C. wickerhamii produced ethanol from cellobiose at a rate equivalent to C. lusitaniae; however, once the ethanol concentration reached 20 g/L, fermentation ceased. Using p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (pNPG) as substrate, beta-glucosidase (3-5 U/mL) was detected when C. wickerhamii was grown anaerobically on glucose or cellobiose. About 35% of the beta-glucosidase activity was excreted into the medium. The cell-associated activity was highest against pNPG and salicin. Approximately 100-fold less activity was detected with cellobiose as substrate. When empolying these organisms in a simultaneous saccharification-fermentation of avicel, using Trichoderma reesei cellulase as the saccharifying agent, 10-30% more ethanol was produced by the two yeasts capable of fermenting cellobiose than by the control, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Utilization of oil palm decanter cake for cellulase and polyoses production

The abundance of oil palm decanter cake (OPDC) is a problem in oil palm mills. However, this lignocellulosic biomass can be utilized for cellulase and polyoses production. The effectiveness of chemical and physical pretreatment in reducing the lignin content was studied by saccharification using a Celluclast 1.5 L and scanning electron microscope. Physicochemical pretreatment of OPDC with 1% (w/v) NaOH and autoclaving at 121°C for 20 min increased potential polyoses produced to 52.5% and removed 28.7% of the lignin content. The optimized conditions for cellulase production by a locally isolated fungus were a time of 120 h, a substrate of untreated OPDC, a spore concentration of 1 × 10⁷ spore/mL, a temperature of 30°C, and a pH between 7.0 and 7.5. Trichoderma asperellum UPM1 produced carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase), ??-glucosidase and filter paper activity (FPase) in the following concentrations: 17.35, 0.53, and 0.28 U/mL, respectively. Aspergillus fumigatus UPM2 produced the CMCase, ??-glucosidase and FPase in the following amounts: 10.93, 0.76, and 0.24 U/mL. The cellulases from T. asperellum UPM1 produced 2.33 g/L of polyoses and the cellulases from A. fumigatus UPM2 produced 4.37 g/L of polyoses.     

Study of cellulases from a newly isolated thermophilic and cellulolytic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brevibacillus</Emphasis> sp. strain JXL

A potentially novel aerobic, thermophilic, and cellulolytic bacterium designated as Brevibacillus sp. strain JXL was isolated from swine waste. Strain JXL can utilize a broad range of carbohydrates including: cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), xylan, cellobiose, glucose, and xylose. In two different media supplemented with crystalline cellulose and CMC at 57°C under aeration, strain JXL produced a basal level of cellulases as FPU of 0.02 IU/ml in the crude culture supernatant. When glucose or cellobiose was used besides cellulose, cellulase activities were enhanced ten times during the first 24 h, but with no significant difference between these two simple sugars. After that time, however, culture with glucose demonstrated higher cellulase activities compared with that from cellobiose. Similar trend and effect on cellulase activities were also obtained when glucose or cellobiose served as a single substrate. The optimal doses of cellobiose and glucose for cellulase induction were 0.5 and 1%. These inducing effects were further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, which indicated the presence of extracellular protuberant structures. These cellulosome-resembling structures were most abundant in culture with glucose, followed by cellobiose and without sugar addition. With respect to cellulase activity assay, crude cellulases had an optimal temperature of 50°C and a broad optimal pH range of 6–8. These cellulases also had high thermotolerance as evidenced by retaining more than 50% activity at 100°C after 1 h. In summary, this is the first study to show that the genus Brevibacillus may have strains that can degrade cellulose.     

Gene integration and expression and extracellular secretion of Erwinia chrysanthemi endoglucanase CelY (celY) and CelZ (celZ) in ethanologenic Klebsiella oxytoca P2

The development of methods to reduce costs associated with the solubilization of cellulose is essential for the utilization of lignocellulose as a renewable feedstock for fuels and chemicals. One promising approach is the genetic engineering of ethanol-producing microorganisms that also produce cellulase enzymes during fermentation. By starting with an ethanologenic derivative (strain P2) of Klebsiella oxytoca M5A1 with the native ability to metabolize cellobiose, the need for supplemental beta-glucosidase was previously eliminated. In the current study, this approach has been extended by adding genes encoding endoglucanase activities. Genes celY and celZ from Erwinia chrysanthemi have been functionally integrated into the chromosome of P2 using surrogate promoters from Zymomonas mobilis for expression. Both were secreted into the extracellular milieu, producing more than 20,000 endoglucanase units (carboxymethyl cellulase activity) per liter of fermentation broth. During the fermentation of crystalline cellulose with low levels of commercial cellulases of fungal origin, these new strains produced up to 22% more ethanol than unmodified P2. Most of the beneficial contribution was attributed to CelY rather than to CelZ. These results suggest that fungal enzymes with substrate profiles resembling CelY (preference for long-chain polymers and lack of activity on soluble cello-oligosaccharides of two to five glucosyl residues) may be limiting in commercial cellulase preparations.     

Purification and properties of the cellulases from the thermophilic fungus Thermoascus aurantiacus.

Three cellulases and a beta-glucosidase were purified from the culture filtrate of the thermophilic fungus Thermoascus aurantiacus. The isolated enzymes were all homogeneous on polyacrylamide-disc-gel electrophoresis. Data from chromatography on Bio-Gel P-60 and sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis indicated mol.wts. of 87000 (beta-glucosidase), 78000 (cellulase I), 49000 (cellulase II) and 34000 (cellulase III); the carbohydrate contents of the enzymes were 33.0, 5.5, 2.6 and 1.8% (w/w) respectively. Although the three purified cellulases were active towards filter paper, only cellulases I and III were active towards CM(carboxymethyl)-cellulose. Cellulase I was also active towards yeast glucan. The Km and catalytic-centre-activity values for the enzymes were as follows; 0.52 mumol/ml and 6.5 X 10(4) for beta-glucosidase on p-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucoside, 3.9 mg/ml and 6.3 for cellulase I on CM-cellulose, 1.2 mg/ml and 1.1 for cellulase I on yeast glucan, 35.5 mg/ml and 0.34 for cellulase II on filter paper, and 1.9 mg/ml and 33 for cellulase III on CM-cellulose.     

Biodegradation of cellulose by β-glucosidase and cellulase immobilized on a pH-responsive copolymer

Biodegradation of cellulose involves synergistic action of the endoglucanases, exoglucanases and β-glucosidases in cellulase. However, the yield of glucose is limited by the lack of β-glucosidase to hydrolyze cellobiose into glucose. In this study, β-glucosidase as a supplemental enzyme along with cellulase are co-immobilized on a pHresponsive copolymer, poly (MAA-co-DMAEMA-co-BMA) (abbreviated P_MDB, where MAA is α-methacrylic acid, DMAEMA is 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and BMA is butyl methacrylate). The thermal and storage stabilities of PMDB with immobilized enzymes are improved greatly, compared with those of free cellulase. Biodegradation of cellulose is carried out in a pH-responsive recyclable aqueous two-phase system composed of poly (AA-co- DMAEMA-co-BMA) (abbreviated P_{ADB 3.8}, where AA is acrylic acid) and P_MDB. Insoluble substrate and P_MDB with immobilized cellulase and β-glucosidase (Celluclast 1.5L FG and Novozyme 188, respectively) were biased to the bottom phase, while the product was partitioned to the top phase in the presence of 40 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄. When the degradation reaction of cellulose is carried out with PMDB containing immobilized cellulase and β-glucosidase, the concentration of glucose reaches 4.331 mg/mL after 108 h. The yield of glucose is 50.25% after P_MDB containing the immobilized enzymes is recycled five times.     

Effects of cellobiose and glucose on cellulose hydrolysis by both growing and resting cells of Bacteroides cellulosolvens

The cellulase system of Bacteroides cellulosolvens was subjected to both catabolite repression and feedback inhibition by cellobiose. Cellulose-solubilizing activity was 50% inhibited at a cellobiose concentration of 2.6 g/L and completely inhibited by 12 g/L. Glucose at 12 g/L (the highest concentration tested) had no effect on cellulase activity. Supplementation of B. cellulosolvens cellulase with beta-glucosidase resulted in increased conversion of cellobiose to glucose; however, a constant cellobiose pool size of approximately 7 g/L was maintained.     

Production, purification, and characterization of a highly glucose-tolerant novel beta-glucosidase from Candida peltata.

Candida peltata (NRRL Y-6888) produced beta-glucosidase when grown in liquid culture on various substrates (glucose, xylose, L-arabinose, cellobiose, sucrose, and maltose). An extracellular beta-glucosidase was purified 1,800-fold to homogeneity from the culture supernatant of the yeast grown on glucose by salting out with ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography with DEAE Bio-Gel A agarose, Bio-Gel A-0.5m gel filtration, and cellobiose-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The enzyme was a monomeric protein with an apparent molecular weight of 43,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. It was optimally active at pH 5.0 and 50 degrees C and had a specific activity of 108 mumol.min-1.mg of protein-1 against p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside (pNP beta G). The purified beta-glucosidase readily hydrolyzed pNP beta G, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, and cellohexaose, with Km values of 2.3, 66, 39, 35, 21, and 18 mM, respectively. The enzyme was highly tolerant to glucose inhibition, with a Ki of 1.4 M (252 mg/ml). Substrate inhibition was not observed with 40 mM pNP beta G or 15% cellobiose. The enzyme did not require divalent cations for activity, and its activity was not affected by p-chloromercuribenzoate (0.2 mM), EDTA (10 mM), or dithiothreitol (10 mM). Ethanol at an optimal concentration (0.75%, vol/vol) stimulated the initial enzyme activity by only 11%. Cellobiose (10%, wt/vol) was almost completely hydrolyzed to glucose by the purified beta-glucosidase (1.5 U/ml) in both the absence and presence of glucose (6%). Glucose production was enhanced by 8.3% when microcrystalline cellulose (2%, wt/vol) was treated for 24 h with a commercial cellulase preparation (cellulase, 5 U/ml; beta-glucosidase, 0.45 U/ml) that was supplemented with purified beta-glucosidase (0.4 U/ml).     

Ethanol production from cellobiose, amorphous cellulose, and crystalline cellulose by recombinant Klebsiella oxytoca containing chromosomally integrated Zymomonas mobilis genes for ethanol production and plasmids expressing thermostable cellulase genes from Clostridium thermocellum.

The Zymomonas mobilis genes for ethanol production have been integrated into the chromosome of Klebsiella oxytoca M5A1. The best of these constructs, strain P2, produced ethanol efficiently from cellobiose in addition to monomeric sugars. Utilization of cellobiose and cellotriose by this strain eliminated the requirement for external beta-glucosidase and reduced the amount of commercial cellulase needed to ferment Solka Floc SW40 (primarily crystalline cellulose). The addition of plasmids encoding endoglucanases from Clostridium thermocellum resulted in the intracellular accumulation of thermostable enzymes as coproducts with ethanol during fermentation. The best of these, strain P2(pCT603T) containing celD, was used to hydrolyze amorphous cellulose to cellobiose and produce ethanol in a two-stage process. Strain P2(pCT603T) was also tested in combination with commercial cellulases. Pretreatment of Solka Floc SW40 at 60 degrees C with endoglucanase D substantially reduced the amount of commercial cellulase required to ferment Solka Floc. The stimulatory effect of the endoglucanase D pretreatment may result from the hydrolysis of amorphous regions, exposing additional sites for attack by fungal cellulases. Since endoglucanase D functions as part of a complex in C. thermocellum, it is possible that this enzyme may complex with fungal enzymes or bind cellulose to produce a more open structure for hydrolysis.     

Ethanol production from cellobiose, amorphous cellulose, and crystalline cellulose by recombinant Klebsiella oxytoca containing chromosomally integrated Zymomonas mobilis genes for ethanol production and plasmids expressing thermostable cellulase genes from Clostridium thermocellum.

The Zymomonas mobilis genes for ethanol production have been integrated into the chromosome of Klebsiella oxytoca M5A1. The best of these constructs, strain P2, produced ethanol efficiently from cellobiose in addition to monomeric sugars. Utilization of cellobiose and cellotriose by this strain eliminated the requirement for external beta-glucosidase and reduced the amount of commercial cellulase needed to ferment Solka Floc SW40 (primarily crystalline cellulose). The addition of plasmids encoding endoglucanases from Clostridium thermocellum resulted in the intracellular accumulation of thermostable enzymes as coproducts with ethanol during fermentation. The best of these, strain P2(pCT603T) containing celD, was used to hydrolyze amorphous cellulose to cellobiose and produce ethanol in a two-stage process. Strain P2(pCT603T) was also tested in combination with commercial cellulases. Pretreatment of Solka Floc SW40 at 60 degrees C with endoglucanase D substantially reduced the amount of commercial cellulase required to ferment Solka Floc. The stimulatory effect of the endoglucanase D pretreatment may result from the hydrolysis of amorphous regions, exposing additional sites for attack by fungal cellulases. Since endoglucanase D functions as part of a complex in C. thermocellum, it is possible that this enzyme may complex with fungal enzymes or bind cellulose to produce a more open structure for hydrolysis.     

Specific and nonspecific glucanases from Trichoderma viride

Six endoglucanases (Endo I, II, III, IV, V, and VI), three exoglucanases (Exo I, II, and III), and a beta-glucosidase (beta-gluc I) isolated from a commercial cellulase preparation of Trichoderma viride origin were examined as to their activities on xylan ex oat spelts. Endo I, II, and III as well as Exo II and III showed no activity toward xylan and were classified as specific glucanases. Less specificity was found for the endoglucanases Endo IV, V, and VI, Exo I, and beta-gluc I, whose enzymes were able to hydrolyze xylan. With respect to product formation these xylanolytic cellulases fit the classification of xylanases generally accepted in the literature. Kinetic experiment with xylan, CM-cellulose, and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside revealed that Endo IV, V, an VI and Exo I prefer to hydrolyze beta-1, 4-D-glucosidic linkages. beta-Gluc I showed no clear substrate preference.     

Assessment of saccharification efficacy in the cellulase system of the brown rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum

Brown rot fungi uniquely degrade wood by creating modifications thought to aid in the selective removal of polysaccharides by an incomplete cellulase suite. This naturally successful mechanism offers potential for current bioprocessing applications. To test the efficacy of brown rot cellulases, southern yellow pine wood blocks were first degraded by the brown rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum for 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Characterization of the pine constituents revealed brown rot decay patterns, with selective polysaccharide removal as lignin compositions increased. G. trabeum liquid and solid state cellulase extracts, as well as a commercial Trichoderma reesei extract (Celluclast 1.5 L), were used to saccharify this pretreated material, using β-glucosidase amendment to remove limitation of cellobiose-to-glucose conversion. Conditions varied according to source and concentration of cellulase extract and to pH (3.0 vs. 4.8). Hydrolysis yields were maximized using solid state G. trabeum extracts at a pH of 4.8. However, the extent of glucose release was low and was not significantly altered when cellulase loading levels were increased threefold. Furthermore, Celluclast 1.5 L continually outperformed G. trabeum cellulase extracts, although extent of glucose release never exceeded 22.0%. Results suggest methodological advances for utilizing crude G. trabeum cellulases and imply that the suboptimal hydrolysis levels obtained with G. trabeum and Celluclast 1.5 L cellulases, even at high loading levels, may be due to brown rot modifications insufficiently distributed throughout the pretreated material.     

Cellulase and xylanase activities in higher basidiomycetes.

Extracellular carboxymethylcellulase, xylanase, beta-glucosidase, and beta-xylosidase activities of four cultures of higher basidial fungi were studied in relation to the source of carbon in the nutrient medium. It was shown that beta-glucosidases and beta-xylosidases of all basidiomycetes and cellulases and xylanases of Pholiota aurivella IBR437 and Gloeophyllum saepiarium IBR155, the causal agents of wood brown rot, are constitutive enzymes; however, their activities depend on the source of carbon in the growth medium. Cellulases and xylanases of Coriolus pubescens IBR663 and Lentinus tigrinus IBR100 degrading wood through white rot are inducible enzymes. The synthesis of cellulases and xylanases was induced upon fungal growth on media containing crystalline cellulose and plant raw materials; carboxymethylcellulose and xylan were less effective. The induction of C. pubescens IBR663 cellulase and xylanase was observed when avicel was added to the culture growing on a mannitol-containing medium. Glucose at a concentration of 0.2-0.8% caused catabolite repression of C. pubescens IBR663 cellulase and xylanase. After utilization of glucose, leading to a decrease in its concentration below 0.1%, the synthesis of enzymes was resumed. These data indicate that the synthesis of cellulases and xylanases in the examined macromycetes is under common regulatory control.