SCREENING FOR MICROBIAL TREHALASES - EXTRACELLULAR TREHALASES PRODUCED BY FUSARIUM SPECIES

Two hundred microorganisms comprising actinomycetes, bacteria, fungi a nd yeasts were screened for extracellular trehalases by their growth o n trehalose in solid and liquid culture. Candida albicans, Gelasinospo ra retispora and four isolates belonging to the genus Fusarium produce d extracellular trehalases. The production of trehalase by the Fusariu m spp. was influenced by the nutrient composition of the medium and th e carbon source; of the substrates examined starch produced the highes t enzyme titre. Trehalase was an inducible enzyme and was repressed wh en the Fusarium spp. were grown on glucose. The properties of the treh alases from two of the Fusarium spp. (isolates MU-105 and TR-8) were t ypical of non-regulatory trehalases. Activity of several alpha-glucosi dases, an amylase, an invertase and a cellobiase was also demonstrated when the two isolates were grown on trehalose.