Cellulase activity of a Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegl. strain grown in media containing Carboximetilcellulose or microcrystalline cellulose

Endoglucanase and exocellobiohydrolase produced b Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegl. strain thatt was cultivated in carboxymetilcellulose (CMC) or microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) liquid media. The concentration and type of cellulose influenced the enzyme activity and production. Extra-cellular cellobiase activity was not detected in CMC or Avicel media. This enzyme was detected in mycelial extracts only. With 1.7 percent Avicel liquid medium, the strain did not produce exocellobiohydrolase, but 74 æmol RBBR/mg protein/min was detected with 0.5 percent Avicel. The substitution of Avicel by 0.5 percent CMC reduced this activity. Endoglucanase also had maximum activity in 0.5 percent Avicel medium (approximately 820 UI/mg protein) after 96 h incubation. In supernatants from 0.5 percent CMC, the maximum activity attained was 200 UI/mg protein only

Characterization of fractions of aqueoussoluble constituents of the mushroom Pleurotus ostreato-roseus Sing. and its effects on the serum protein profile of mice

Various species of mushrooms belonging to genus Pleurotus (Fr.) Kumm. are known by its nutritional value and medicinal properties, particularly anti-tumor activity and immunomodulation, related to structural polysaccharides. In order to study the composition and the effects of aqueoussoluble constituents from Pleurotus ostreato-roseus Sing. on mice serum proteins, the P. ostreato-roseus strain POR-020 was cultured on powered grass-sugarcane bagasse-sawdust-wheat bran-substrate, and fruiting bodies were produced, milled, extracted with ethanol and hot water, and fractional precipitated with ethanol producing two fractions, FI-1 and FI-2. These fractions showed, respectively, 47.87 and 26.45 percent (d. m.) carbohydrate, and 2.07 and 1.97 percent (d.m.) protein composition. The fractions were administered i.p. in AJ male mice in a singledose of 257 mg/kg (FI-1) and 31.5 mg/kg (FI-2). After 15 days administration, electrophoretic analysis of serum proteins detected that FI-1 increased 50, 25, 0.35, and 28.6 percent in b-, a1-, a2- and g-globulin regions, and FI-2 increased 4.4 and 21 percent in band a1-globulin, respectively.

Use of remazol blue dyed avicel for the determination of cellullolytic activity in basidiomycetes

A modified method for direct determination of cellulolytic activity using Avicel colored with Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) in Agar test tubes in discussed. Refinaments were introduced in a simple method for qunatitation of cellulase activity, based on the release of dye from Avicel-RBBR medium by enzimatic hydrolysis. Modification in Avicel-dye preparation were enhanced and a spectrophotometer improved the precision of the collected data, since absorbance measurements could be done at the maxmum wavelenght for RBBR (595 nm).