Hemicellulase activity of antarctic microfungi

The mannanase (endo-beta-1,4-mannanase; E.C. 3.2.1.78) and xylanase (endo-b eta-1-4-xylanase; E.C. 3.2.1.8) activity of fire microfungal isolates from Antarctica were characterized at different temperatures and pH. In general, the hemicellulase activity of the antarctic strains occurred at least 10 d egrees C and as much as 30 degrees C lon er than that of a mesophilic refer ence strain. At 0 degrees C, two strains, a Phoma and a Penicillium, produc ed in excess of 40% of their measured maximum activity of mannanase, All st rains had maximum hemicellulase activity in the range pH 4-5, with Penicill ium, Phoma and Alternaria strains exhibiting high (in excess of 80% of maxi mum) mannanase activity at pH 10, Three of the antarctic isolates exhibited high levels of xylanase activity over a pH range of 3-11.