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Abstract
The capacity to liberate cellulases by diverse fungi isolated from one of the under studied areas in Nigeria was investigated as well as their growth response to the assay media. Modified Mandel’s broth having 1% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-sodium salt), ball-milled Whatman No 1 filter paper, or cellulose that was purified by the authors from palm frond via the Kraft method served as the assay media. The enzymes assayed for were β-1, 4- endoglucanase (Cx) and total cellulase (Cx + C1). Twenty-two cellulolytic fungal isolates representing 5 identified and 3 unidentified genera were obtained from only 7 of the 10 locations. The identified genera are Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma and Stachybotrys. The mycelia dry weight (MDW) measurement for the growth responses revealed that A. melleus (UCF1), Penicillum (UMC1) and an unidentified fungus (UHG2) had the highest mycelia growth in cellulose medium, CMC medium and FP medium, respectively. A. melleus (UCF1) recorded the highest Cx activity (0.13 U ml-1 min-1) while T. reesei (USQ5) and F. semitectum (UMQ1) recorded the highest synergistic activity of the Cx + C1 component (0.09 U ml-1 min-1) on CMC medium,. On cellulose medium, T. reesei (USQ5) recorded the highest Cx activity (0.11 U ml-1 min-1) while Penicillium (UMG2) recorded the highest synergistic activity of the Cx + C1 component (0.08 U ml-1 min-1). T. reesei (USQ5) recorded the highest Cx activity (0.14 U ml-1 min-1) and synergistic activity of the Cx + C1 component (0.12 U ml-1 min-1) on filter paper medium. On the average, CMC medium was a more favorable substrate for the induction of both enzyme components and support for more fungal mycelia extension than the other media. This is the first report of the induction of cellulase enzyme production in P. shaze, a novel soil fungus first described in 2006.
Keywords: Cellulolytic fungi, cellulose, cellulase, carboxymethylcellulase, FPase.,