Full Length Research Paper

Use of Scopulariopsis acremonium for the production of cellulase and xylanase through submerged fermentation

Loveleen Kaur Sarao*, Maninder Arora and V. K. Sehgal

Department of Processing and Food Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, Punjab, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: loveleen_sarao84@yahoo.com.

Tel: +91-9915592736.

Accepted 5 May, 2010

Abstract

Production of cellulase and xylanase by Scopulariopsis acremonium through submerged fermentation was studied using shake flask cultivation media. The effect of process parameters such as effect of temperature, pH and inoculum size was investigated. The enzymes were partially purified using isopropanol and used for enzyme assays. The results indicated that the maximum cellulase and xylanase having an enzyme activity of 694.45 and 931.25 IU respectively, were produced at 30°C incubation temperature. The pH optimum to achieve these enzyme activities was 5.5 with an inoculum size of 1x10⁵ spores ml^-1 of tween - 80. Cellulase was deactivated at 80°C while xylanase was deactivated at 70°C.

Key words: Scopulariopsis acremonium, cellulase, xylanase, submerged fermentation.