CELLULASE FREE XYLANASE BY THERMOPHILIC FUNGI - A COMPARISON OF XYLANASE PRODUCTION BY 2 THERMOMYCES-LANUGINOSUS STRAINS

Thermomyces lanuginosus strains RT9 and MH4 were studied to find favou rable cultivation conditions and to compare their abilities to produce xylanolytic enzymes in three media on different substrates at 50 degr ees C or 55 degrees C under shake-culture conditions. Both organisms p roduced xylanases free of cellulase at widely different levels in all cultivation conditions employed. Wheat bran, corn cobs and xylan induc ed xylanases in increasing order of producing with both cultures. T. l anuginosus RT9 demonstrated the highest xylanase production in all cul tivation conditions but with lower soluble protein, reducing sugar, be ta-xylosidase and debranching enzymes levels (arabinosidase, acetylxyl anesterase, mannanase) when compared to T. lanuginosus MH4. The study reveals that xylanase production was highly influenced by nitrogen sou rces and their concentrations and by the initial pH in the cultures, T he two strains may therefore be unique, when technical application is considered in terms of the quantity and quality of the xylanolytic enz ymes produced.