PRODUCTION OF BETA-GLYCOSIDASES (LINAMARASE AND AMYGDALASE) AND PECTOLYTIC ENZYMES BY PENICILLIUM SPP

Fifty-eight strains, representing 31 species of Penicillium, were scre ened for extracellular beta-glycosidase (amygdalase/linamarase) and pe ctolytic (polygalacturonase, pectin lyase) enzymes. One strain each of P. turbatum, P. piceum and P. paxilli showed very high beta-glycosida se activity and slightly lower activities were found in P. crustosum, P. expansum, P. oxalicum and P. aurantiogriseum. Generally, maximum be ta-glycosidase activity was reached during the stationary phase of gro wth. The seven species with highest beta-glycosidase activity showed d ifferent patterns of pectolytic activities, indicating that different species or combinations of species could be selected for different pot ential applications.