Production of β-Xylanase from Aspergillus Awamori K-1

ABSTRACT

The production and hydrolytic potential of xylanase and β-xylosidase from Aspergillus awamori, strain K-1 were studied. The fermentation medium was optimised for maximum extracellular xylanase and β-xylosidase production on shake-flask and laboratory fermentor scale. Of the carbon sources studied, oat xylan and a mixture of ball-milled corn cobs and wheat bran (mixture ratio 2:1) produced the highest titres of xylanase and β-xylosidase. The temperature optima for maximal production of xylanase and β-xylosidase were 30 °C and 25 °C, respectively, and the pH optimum for both enzymes was 3.5–4.0. Under the optimised culture medium and conditions a considerable xylanase activity level of 100 IU/ml was measured in the culture filtrates. Crude xylanase demonstrated a certain potential to liberate reducing sugars from α-cellulose. Xylose and xylobiose were established as the main products of the enzymatic hydrolysis of larch wood xylan.