OPTIMIZATION OF FERMENTATION PARAMETERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF EXTRACELLULAR ENDOGLUCANASE, β –GLUCOSIDASE AND ENDOXYLANASE BY A CHROMIUM RESISTANT STRAIN OF TRICHODERMA PSEUDOKONINGII

Abstract

Trichoderma pseudokoningii, a chromate reducing fungal strain, was isolated from the tannery-effluents. The present Cr (VI) resistant strain was found to produce good amount of various extracellular enzymes that included cellulases (endoglucanase and β–glucosidase) and hemicellulase (endoxylanase) in submerged fermentation (SmF). The titre of β–glucosidase was found to be higher than that of endoglucanase. Cellulases were best induced in presence of 1% of respective substrates whereas only 0.5% xylan could induce endoxylanase production in this strain. Although the optimum temperature for all three enzymes was found to be 27oC, the pH optimum of cellulases (pH 5) were different from that of endoxylanase (pH 6). Under optimized conditions, maximum of production of all these enzymes was achieved within 48 hours of cultivation. Among nitrogen sources tested, potassium nitrate was found to be the most effective followed by gelatin.