Identification of Endoglucanase Gene Responsible for Cellulose Degradation Using Aspergillus flavus

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt

2 Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

3 Faculty of Biotechnology, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Egypt

Abstract

Twenty
two of cellulose-degrading fungal isolates were isolated from five different
samples; rotted sugar cane bagasse, rotted plant, termites, soil and animal
manure. Out of 22 isolates, 21 strains showed hydrolyzing zone on agar plates
containing carboxy methyl cellulose after iodine staining. The fungal isolate
No. S4, exhibited the highest endoglucanase (CMCase) activity with (0.165
IU/ml) in cellulase production culture. The best
exoglucanase (FPase) and endoglucanase (CMCase) of fungal isolate S4 was
obtained after incubation at 30°C for 7 days. Sugar cane bagasse (SCB) induced
the production of FPase and CMCase with maximum activity of 3.6 fold and 2.2
fold, respectively more than that of the maximum yield
in case of
carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC). The fungal isolate S4 was identified as Aspergillus
flavus
on the basis of 18S rRNA and ITS region sequence analysis.

Keywords