Author : Bondoc, Laureano L. Jr.

Summary : Cellulase production was optimized with respect to incubation time and substrate composition for Trichoderma reesei NRRL 11485, Trichoderma viride QM 9414, and Penicillium sp. 86 (a local isolate) grown on sugarcane bagasse in shake flask cultures at room temperature (30 degree C). Of the three fungal strains tested, PENECILLIUM sp. 86 elaborated a potent cellulase exhibiting the highest activities when grown on 5 percent untreated bagasse (80 mesh) supplemented with urea and (NH4) (subscript 2) SO (subscript 4). The cellulase activities were comparable to those recently reported for Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Aspergillus terreus GN 1. Using the optimal substrate composition, cellulase production by Penecillium sp. 86 was further optimized with respect to solids level content and pH using either untreated bagasse or alkali-treated bagasse in batch culture using an airlift fermenter with aeration at 1 vvm at room temperature (ca. 30 deg C). When the organism was cultured on 2.0 percent untreated bagasse with pH controlled at 4.5, maximum enzyme activities were obtained after 48 hours fermentation, namely: Filter Paper (FP) Volumetric Activity (VA), 0.0883 IU/ml; FP Specific Activity (SA), 0.1193 IU/mg P; Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) Va, 0.8898 IU/ml; and CMCSA, 2.0086 IU/mg P.