Full Length Research Paper

Preliminary studies on the production of endo-1,4-b–D-glucanases activity produced by Enterobacter cloacae

Amtul Jamil Sami¹*, Muhammad Awais¹, A. R. Shakoori²

¹Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore. 54594, Pakistan.

²School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore. 54594. Pakistan.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: amtuljamilsami@yahoo.com.

Accepted 19 February, 2008

We report the production and characterization of endo-β-1, 4-glucanase from isolated phytopathogenic bacterium Enterobacter cloacae. The bacterium was grown on different carbon sources including carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and 2% Avicel, for the production of endo-1, 4-β –D-glucanases enzyme. E. cloacae produced maximum levels of cellulases after 96 h of fermentation. Higher levels of endoglucanases were produced when microbe was grown on CMC. Endo-1, 4- β-D- glucanase had optimum pH and temperature of 5.8 and 40°C. The enzyme was inactivated by calcium chloride and a reducing agent β-mercaptoethanol.

Key words: Endo-1, 4- β -D- glucanase, Enterobacter cloacae.