Cellulases for oligosaccharide synthesis: a preliminary study

Crude cellulases, cellobiohydrolase I and endoglucanase I from Trichoderma reesei, were used for preliminary analysis of the potential of cellulases f or oligosaccharide synthesis. The reaction products were analysed by ionic chromatography. Synthesis activity could be detected in concentrated aqueou s solutions of glucose, cellobiose, maltose and raffinose. CBH I and EG I s howed similar activity, with the exception of the case where cellobiose was the substrate. In this case, CBH I originated more oligosaccharides and in higher yields. For the best case among the studied experimental conditions (enzyme: CBH I; substrate: cellubiose; temperature: 4 degrees C), yields i n the order of 40% oligosaccharides were obtained. The effect of the temper ature on the reaction yield and kinetics was also studied. (C) 1998 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.