Cellulase and Xylanase Production by Yeasts of the Genus Trichosporon

Abstract

The optimum conditions for cellulase production in culture filtrates by T. cutaneum and T. pullulans were determined. With ball-milled filter paper as a test substrate, maximum activity was detected 4-7 days after transfer from glucose to cellulose (ball-milled filter paper) as growth substrate. Comparison of the yeast filtrates with those from the molds, Trichoderma viride and Myrothecium verrucaria showed that the total activity of 1 strain of T. pullulans was comparable to that of the molds with ball-milled filter paper as assay substrate. Activities were lower when .alpha.-cellulose or dewaxed cotton was used as an assay substrate. The main products of cellulose degradation were cellobiose and glucose, although the ratio of these products clearly differentiated between culture filtrates of the species examined. Xylanase activity was present in all culture filtrates examined. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of active filtrates produced strain-specific patterns of 3-5 stained bands with similar mobilities but an inactive filtrate lacked 1 band common to all other filtrates.