Screening studies on the formation of alpha-galactosidase in microorganisms

19 actinomycetes and 15 fungal cultures were screened for their abilities t o produce-gatactosidase using D-Galactose Czapek Dox's medium. The results showed that only five actinomycetes and seven fungal strains could produce endocellular and/or extracellular enzyme activities with different levels. Streptomyces erythrus NRRL ISP 5517 and Penicillium viridicatum NRC 3712, h aving the highest revels of enzyme as compared to the other cultures, were selected to investigate the optimal conditions for enzyme production. Chrom atographic identification of the products resulting from the enzymatic hydr olysis indicated that galactose and glucose could be identified from melibi ose and galactose and sucrose from raffinose and finally galactose and raff inose from stachyose indicating the presence of a-galactosidase activity in both extra- and endo-cellular fractions from S. erythrus and P. viridicatu m.