TITLE:
Cellulase Production by Endophytic Strains of Trichoderma reesei from Baccharis dracunculifolia D. C. (Asteraceae)
AUTHORS:
Sideney Becker Onofre, Taismara Bonfante, Zípora Morgana Quinteiro dos Santos, Marielly Coradin de Moura, Aline Filakowski Cardoso
KEYWORDS:
Substrate, Fermentation Processes, Enzymes, Cellulases
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.4 No.5,
April
24,
2014
ABSTRACT: Cellulases are enzymes responsible for the
degradation of cellulose, the major compound in plant cells. Cellulose is a
polysaccharide composed of several glucose units linked together by chemical
bonds. Cellulases, such as endoglucanases, beta-glucosidase and exoglucanases,
break the chemical bonds between the glucose units. Fungi, including the
endophytic species, can be great cellulase producers. This study aimed to
evaluate cellulase production by four endophytic strains of Trichoderma reesei semi-solid media
containing sugarcane bagasse, supplemented or not with salts. Two fermentations
were carried out for 43 days. Samples were taken every seven days to obtain
production peaks. The enzymes were characterized by their optimum pH and
temperature of activity and stability upon incubation in the presence of ions,
pH and temperature variations. The results showed that the endophytic strains
FB1, FB2, FB3 and FB4 of Trichoderma reesei produce cellulases in a sugarcane bagasse medium, supplemented or not with salts, at pH 5.5 and 30°C. The
supplemented medium proved to be more appropriate to induce cellulase
production after 29 days of fermentation, with FB4 having the best yield: 16.32
± 2.65 IU/gram of fermented substrate.