C. H. Tyagi

Production of high level of cellulase-poor xylanases by wild strains of white-rot fungus Coprinellus disseminatus in solid-state fermentation.

The production, optimisation and partial characterisation of xylanases from newly isolated wild strains of Coprinellus disseminatus was performed in solid-state fermentation. Strains SH-1 and SH-2 showed high xylanase (727.78 and 227.99 IU/mL) with very low CMCase (0.925 and 0.660 IU/mL) and laccase (0.640 and 0.742 U/mL) activities at incubation time seven days, 37 degrees C and initial pH 6.4, using yeast extract as nitrogen source and cheap substrate (wheat bran), which increased the cost effectiveness of the process. Crude cellulase-poor xylanases obtained from test strains showed maximum activities at 55 degrees C and pH 6.4 and retained 32.64 (SH-1) and 35.03% (SH-2) activity at pH 8 and 43.01 (SH-1) and 25.00% (SH-2) activity at 65 degrees C. As test strains produced high level of cellulase-poor xylanases, which were active over a wide range of temperature and pH, these enzymes might be used as pulp biobleaching agents.

Bio-conventional bleaching of wheat straw soda-AQ pulp with crude xylanases from SH-1 NTCC-1163 and SH-2 NTCC-1164 strains of Coprinellus disseminatus to mitigate AOX generation.

Two novel cellulase-poor xylanases from Coprinellus disseminatus SH-1 NTCC-1163 (enzyme-A) and SH-2 NTCC-1164 (enzyme-B) produced under solid-state fermentation mitigated kappa number of wheat straw soda-AQ pulps by 24.38 and 27.94% respectively after XE stages. The release of reducing sugars and chromophores was highest for both the enzymes at 10IU/g and reaction time 180min for 55°C at variable consistencies that is, 10% for enzyme-A and 5% for enzyme-B. (A)XECEHH and (B)XECEHH sequences improved brightness by 5.17 and 2.58% respectively at 4.5% chlorine charge. AOX in (A)XECEHH and (B)XECEHH sequences reduced by 56.11 and 55.75% respectively at 4.5% chlorine charge and 68.34 and 67.98% respectively at 2.25% chlorine charge respectively compared to control. Both the enzymes showed improvement in double fold and tear index with a decrease in burst and tensile index. SEM showed peeling, cracking and delamination in fibers due to enzyme treatment thus facilitating the penetration of bleach chemicals.