| Abstract: | Spores of Chaetomium cellulolyticum were treated with 200 micrograms/ml of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and seven mutants producing clear zones around their colonies on modified Vogels medium were isolated. Mutant NG7 showed altered morphological characteristics and produced more cellulases (CMCase--15 units, FPA--6.5 units, CDA--0.80 units and cellobiase--4.7 units/ml) than its parental strain (CMCase--10 units, FPA--4.5 units, CDA--0.36 units and cellobiase--2.7 units/ml). Cellulase preparation was used to saccharify rice straw, wheat straw, bagasse and sawdust, pretreated with 1% sodium hydroxide. |
