Authors : Mohammed Inuwa Ja`afaru and Obasola Ezekiel Fagade
Abstract: The ability of selected cellulosic substrates to induce cellulase enzyme production by Aspergillus niger and for the ability of the induced enzyme to saccharify the substrates was assessed. The cellulosic substrates tested were filter paper, absorbent cotton wool, newspaper, corn cobs, groundnut shell and saw dust. Treated and untreated corn cob and groundnut shell were the best carbon sources for the induction of cellulolytic enzymes while filter paper was a poor carbon source. Enzyme activity was highest at 2% substrate concentration. Hydrolysis of the cellulosic substrates showed that the most resistant substrates were cotton wool and filter paper which produced 1.90 and 2.25% saccharification respectively. Treated corn cob gave the highest saccharification rate of 5.0% after 48 h. Reducing sugar yield ranged from 0.75 mg mL-1 for filter paper at 1 h to 5.55 mg mL-1 for treated corn cob at 48 h.
Mohammed Inuwa Ja`afaru and Obasola Ezekiel Fagade , 2007. Cellulase Production and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Some Selected Local Lignocellulosic Substrates by a Strain of Aspergillus niger. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 2: 13-16.