ENZYMATIC-HYDROLYSIS OF CELLULOSE AND RELATED MATERIALS BY STREPTOMYCES SPECIES

Sixty different strains of Streptomyces were tested for their ability to release reducing sugars form wheat straw. The most active three str ains (Streptomyces mutabilis, S. chromofuscus, and S. cyanoviridis) we re chosen for further studies. The action of the two enzymes laminarin ase and cellulase on eight different substrates (starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, wheat straw, waste paper, cellulose, mannose, glucose and g lycerol) was measured. There was a decrease in the activity of laminar inase, by using different carbon sources in the following order: carbo xymethylcellulose, mannose, wheat straw, waste paper, cellulose, gluco se, starch and glycerol at the optimum pH 7 and temperature of 50-degr ees-C. The sequence of cellulase-substrate affinity was: wheat straw w aste paper, cellulose, mannose, glucose, starch, glycerol, and carboxy methylcellulose at the optimum pH 6 and temperature of 50-degrees-C. T hin layer chromatography was performed to determine the different rele ased sugars. Hexose and pentose spots were detected.