CELLULASE PRODUCTION BY CELLULOMONAS-BIAZOTEA CULTURED IN MEDIA CONTAINING DIFFERENT CELLULOSIC SUBSTRATES

Production of filter paper cellulase (FPase), endo-beta-glucanase and beta-glucosidase by Cellulomonas biazotea was investigated during grow th on different substrates. The organism utilized four different cellu losics, NaOH-pretreated ground plant material of four lignocellulosic (LC) substrates grown on saline lands, three agricultural wastes, carb oxymethyl cellulose (CMC), cellobiose and xylan as carbon sources in D ubos salts liquid medium and produced the enzymes. The highest level o f volumetric productivity (Q(p)) of FPase occurred in the cell-free su pernatants of C. biazotea during growth on alpha-cellulose followed by Leptochloa fusca (kallar grass), while that of endo-beta-glucanase oc curred on kallar grass followed by alpha-cellulose. Maximum beta-gluco sidase was produced in culture media containing cellobiose and kallar grass as carbon sources. Thus the production of these enzymes is influ enced by the carbon source used. beta-Glucosidase was produced mainly periplasmic and was several fold greater in quantity than that reporte d in other strains of Cellulomonas, as well as other bacteria. Kallar grass culture medium, during growth of C. biazotea, supported maximum Q(p) levels of 37.5, 17.5 and 6.1 IU/l/h for CMCase, FPase and beta-gl ucosidase, respectively, with cell mass productivity of 0.235 g/l/h an d was selected as a preferred substrate for cellulase production. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.