XYLANOLYTIC ACTIVITY AND XYLOSE UTILIZATION BY THERMOPHILIC MOLDS

Among thirteen thermophilic fungal strains, viz. Mabranchea pulchella var. sulfurea, Sporotrichum thermophile, Thielavia terrestris, Humicol a insolens and Acremonium alabamensis produced high levels of xylanoly tic enzymes. The secretion of xylanolytic enzymes was higher in wheat straw medium than in wheat straw hemicellulose. All fungi utilized xyl ose as the carbon source. However, Mucor pusillus, Torula thermophila and Sporotrichum thermophile consumed 90 - 93 % of xylose provided in the medium while others utilized 51-83 %. The consumption of glucose b y the fungi was high in comparison with that of xylose. Of all the tre atments tried, xylose isomerase yield was highest when the mycelium of Humicola insolens was homogenized with sand. The synthesis of xylose isomerase was very high in wheat straw hemicellulose as compared with that in xylose and glucose.