Enzyme activities of the marine-derived fungus Alternaria alternata cultivated on selected agricultural wastes

Abstract

Studies were carried out on the enzyme activities of the marine- derived fungus Alternaria alternata cultivated in various agro-wastes. The fungus produced cellulase, xylanase, pectinase and laccase by both solid-stat fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SMF) techniques on different agricultural wastes. The level of cellulase, xylanase, pectinase and laccase production by SSF (9.68, 24.84, 52.5 and 1126.62 U/g solid substrate, respectively) on wheat bran after 10 days of incubation, which considered higher than that obtained by SMF(2.61, 16.31, 35.28 and 531.94 U/g solid substrate, respectively). The highest extraction yield of cellulase and xylanase was achieved with distilled water while the highest pectinase and laccase extraction was obtained with acetate buffer (0.05 M, pH 5). Therefore, the high enzyme production along with the very low cost of the substrate, showed the suitability of the system A. alternata-SSF for industrial purposes, especially for the use of these enzymes in biotechnological processes in high salt concentration conditions

Keywords

• Marine fungi, lignocellulolytic enzymes, cellulase, xylanase, pectinase, laccase, agricultural wastes, A. alternata