Cellulose and xylan degrading enzymes in Thecotheus pelletieri

The ability to produce cellulose and xylan degrading enzymes by different strains of Thecotheus pelletieri, in liquid synthetic media with cellulose and xylan as inducers, was compared. All the strains tested were able to grow and produce cellulases and xylanases, being the strain BAFC 2077 the best producer. Several cultural conditions were analysed in order to optimise enzyme production by strain 2077. Shaking cultures gave higher yields of cellulases and xylanases compared with stationary ones. Asparagine at 0.75 g N/L was the best nitrogen source in promoting enzyme production. The influence of different surfactants on enzyme production was studied. Tween 80 exhibited no effect on growth and enzyme production, whereas Tween 20 and Triton X-100 were inhibitory. By means of studies of variation of cellulose/xylan ratio in the culture medium we determined that cellulose and xylan induced cellulase and xylanase synthesis, being the specific substrates the most effective. The inducible behavior of cellulases and xylanases in T. pelletieri was determined by means of inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide and ethidium bromide. Moreover, we found that glucose as well as xylose repressed cellulase and xylanase synthesis in T. pelletieri.