Cellulase Production by Wild-type Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum and Trichoderma harzianum Using Waste Cellulosic Materials

Waste cellulosic materials (corncob, sawdust and sugarcane pulp) and crystalline cellulose induced cellulase production in wild strains of Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum and Trichoderma harzianum isolated from a wood-waste dump in Lagos, Nigeria. Cellulose-supplemented media gave the maximum cellulase activity of 0.54, 0.67 and 0.39 units mg Protein-1 for A. niger, P. chrysogenum and T. harzianum respectively. The maximum enzyme activity for A. niger was obtained at 36 h of cultivation, while P. chrysogenum and T. harzianum gave their maximum enzyme activities at 12 and 60 h respectively. For the cellulosic wastes, highest enzyme activity was obtained with sawdust where A. niger, P. chrysogenum and T. harzianum gave the maximum enzyme activity of 0.30, 0.24 and 0.20 units mg Protein-1 respectively after 144 h of cultivation. A. niger recorded the highest enzyme activity with any of the three cellulosic materials followed by P. chrysogenum. It thus appears that the use of sawdust presents the best option for low-cost commercial production of cellulase using A. niger and P. chrysogenum as discussed herewith

GROWTH AND CELLULASE ACTIVITY OF WILD-TYPE ASPERGILLUS NIGER ANL301 IN DIFFERENT CARBON SOURCES

A wild-type Aspergillus niger (ANL301) isolated from wood-waste in Lagos, Nigeria, produces extracellular proteins with cellulase (EC 3. 2. 1. 4) activity. Three different carbon sources (Glucose, Cellulose and Sawdust) influenced the organism’s growth and the production of extracellular cellulase enzymes. Best growth was obtained with glucose at 72 hours of incubation. The peak mycelia weight of 1.56 mg/ mL obtained with glucose was about 3 times the maximum weight of 0.58 and 0.49 mg/ mL respectively obtained with cellulose and sawdust at 96 hours. The peak protein contents of the culture filtrates were 0.02, 0.15 and 0.69 mg/ mL respectively in the media containing glucose, cellulose and sawdust. There was no significant cellulase activity in the filtrates from glucose-containing media. The culture filtrates of the organism from cellulose- and sawdust-containing media yielded significant cellulase activities with maximum values of 105.6 Units /L (at 72 hours for cellulose) and 101.9 Units /L (at 144 hours for sawdust). There is a correlation between the protein content and cellulase activity of the culture filtrates. Sawdust can serve as a low-cost substrate for cellulase production by the organism

Antibacterial Activity of Culture Extracts of Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501: Effects of Carbon Sources

Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501 produced β-lactam antibiotics when fermented with different agro-wastes: cassava shavings, corncob, sawdust and sugarcane pulp. In vitro antibacterial activity of the culture extracts was tested against four clinical bacterial isolates, namely, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All the culture extracts and standard drug (commercial Benzyl Penicillin) inhibited the growth B. subtilis and E. coli; the potency varied with carbon source. Antibacterial activity of extracts from cultures containing cassava shavings and sugarcane pulp was comparable with that of the standard drug. The MIC against the susceptible organisms was 0.20mg/ml for the standard drug and ranged from 0.40 to 1.50mg/ml for the culture extracts. Neither the culture extracts nor the standard drug inhibited K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa; the bacterial strains produced β-lactamase enzymes. Cassava shavings and sugarcane pulp are indicated as suitable cheap carbon sources for the production of antibiotics by Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501

The Rhetoric of Collaborative Ministry: A Perspective on Ministry Based on Augustine\u27s Rhetorical Theory with Particular Reference to Abakaliki Diocese

The concern of the Catholic Church in this century and the immediate past centuries has been how the faithful will effectively internalize and role-play the Gospel in their life. The implication of this concern for the Catholic Church is rooted in the inter-cultural and counter-cultural encounter between Christianity and any of the cultures in question, and at this point the African Culture in Abakaliki diocese. To negotiate a complexity of this magnitude, one cannot ignore its rhetorical ripples around the individual, culture, Church family and the society at large. The Christian culture must be translated to the language the people being evangelized must understand. The Gospel will have to take an incarnate nature among the people in order for them to role-play it in their life. Therefore, the significance of Augustine\u27s rhetorical theory in addressing a complexity of this kind is invaluable as a theoretical basis to launch a process of action. Augustine strongly upholds the role of caritas (love) which demands communication and eventually becomes the source whereby we can overcome ambiguities in situations that are rhetorical in nature. Within the African context such ambiguities are resonate in the development of Catholic Christian ministry in a way that will more aggressively assimilate and adapt to the African (Abakaliki diocesan) society. It must be acknowledged that the African society is already family and community oriented, where the role of the individual is paramount. These existing roles are forms of service to the community and may qualify for a ministry if interpreted in religious terms. Therefore how can collaborative ministry allow the birth of new ministries while addressing the needs of the Catholic Christian communities in Africa? The significance of collaborative ministry as recommended by the fathers during African Synod for the African Catholic Church, derives from the biblical sense of ministry indicative of Christ\u27s mandate to his followers, to go out to the whole world and proclaim the gospel (Holy Bible, Mk 16: 15); while assuring them I am with you always, until the close of the age (Holy Bible, Mt 28: 20). There is no exclusion in ministry