Kinetic Study and Characterization of 1,4-β-Endoglucanase of Aspergillus niger ANL301

Submerged fermentation of Aspergillus niger ANL 301 in basal medium containing cellulose as sole carbon source, yielded crude extracellular proteins with 0.54 ± 0.02 units mg protein-1 of 1,4-β-endoglucanase activity. Partial purification by ammonium sulphate precipitation (80% saturation) and gel filtration on Sephadex 25-300 gave two active fractions of 1,4-β-endoglucanase, which exhibited close activity towards carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC). The pH profile of the pooled enzyme fractions showed three activity peaks at pH 3.5, 5.5 and 7.0. The enzyme was most active at pH 5.5 and showed optimal activity at 50°C. Vmax of 4.4 ± 0.4 µmol min-1 mg protein-1 and Km of 12.5 ± 0.4 gL-1 was obtained with CMC for the enzyme. Different divalent metal ions and EDTA affected the enzyme activity at 2.0 mM concentrations in different ways. Mn2+ and Fe2+ exhibited 253.4 and 24.0% stimulatory effects, respectively on the enzyme activity. Mg2+, Ca2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ inhibited the enzyme by between 22.3 and 29.4%, whereas 75.0 and 71.3% inhibition were obtained with Hg2+ and EDTA, respectively. Manganese ion showed an exceptional activation of the 1,4-β-endoglucanase. The organism produced two types of 1,4-β-endoglucanase with different molecular weights

Xylanase production by Aspergillus niger ANL 301 using agro - wastes

Xylanase production by wild-type Aspergillus niger ANL301, newly isolated from wood-waste, was monitored at 24 h intervals for a period 168 h in media containing different carbon sources. The carbon sources were oat-spelt xylan (Fluka) and three agro-wastes (sawdust, sugarcane pulp and wheat bran). Highest xylanase activity of 6.47 units/mL was obtained at 96 h in media containing wheat bran as sole carbon source. Maximum activity value for the media containing sugarcane pulp was 0.95 units/mL obtained also at 96 h. Sawdust and oat spelt xylan gave the peak enzyme activities of 0.65 and 0.80 units/mL respectively at 120 h. High protein yield was obtained in media containing the agro-wastes, with wheat bran giving the highest value of 1.14 mg/mL at 96 h. The maximum specific xylanase activities were 3.86, 3.37, 5.69, and 9.36 units/ mg protein for sawdust, sugarcane pulp, wheat bran and oat spelt xylan, respectively. Out of the three agro-wastes used in this study, wheat bran holds greatest promise for low cost production of the xylanase enzyme

Agro-waste: a potential fermentation substrate for Penicillium chrysogenum

Common agro-wastes found in Lagos, Nigeria (cassava shavings, corncob, sawdust, and sugarcane pulp) were compared with glucose and lactose as fermentation substrates for Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501. Cassava shavings significantly (P<0.001) produced the highest amount of mycelia weight (0.43 ± 0.02 mg/ml) than all the other substrates. This was followed by corncob with peak mycelia weight of 0.33 ± 0.02 mg/ml. Peak mycelia weight of 0.27 ± 0.01 mg/ml was equally obtained with glucose and sugarcane pulp whereas lactose gave a slightly lower peak of 0.25 ± 0.01 mg/ml. Sawdust gave the least mycelia weight of 0.13 ± 0.01 mg/ml. Total sugar content of all the culture media steadily decreased as fungal growth progressed indicating that the organism utilized carbohydrates for growth and mycelia formation. Cultures containing cassava shavings and sawdust gave high protein peaks of 0.84 ± 0.05 and 0.65 ± 0.03 mg/ml respectively. Cultures containing corncob, glucose, lactose and sugarcane pulp yielded lower protein peaks of 0.37 ± 0.02, 0.30 ± 0.02, 0.24 ± 0.02 and 0.18 ± 0.01 mg/ml respectively. The results suggest that cassava shavings, corncob and sugarcane pulp could serve as cheap fermentation substrates for the growth of the fungus. Of all the substrates investigated, cassava shavings have the best potential to serve as substrate for fermentation by Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501. © 2009 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved

Leasing as an Alternative Source of Finance: The Nigerian Experience

The Nigerian economy is at present beset with multi-dimensional socio-political-economic problems. Globalization, deregulation, and the instability of the value of the naira have crippling effects on business organizations. Fiscal and monetary policies put in place to nurse the economy back to buoyancy have tended to squeeze and curtail credit expansion. This paper advocates that leasing is an alternative of finance that could be used to assist companies in particular and the Nigerian economy in general to the path of economic growth and development

Xylanase production by Penicillium chrysogenum (PCL501) fermented on cellulosic wastes

Xylanase production by Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501, newly isolated from wood-wastes, was monitored at 24 h intervals for a period 168 h in media containing four different carbon sources (oatspelt xylan, wheat bran, sawdust, and sugarcane pulp). The highest xylanase activity of 6.47 Units mL-1 was obtained at 96 h in media containing wheat bran whereas media containing sugarcane pulp gave a peak value of 1.39 Units mL-1 at 144 h. Sawdust and xylan gave a peak xylanase activity of 1.35 and 0.79 Units mL-1 respectively at 120 h. Maximum protein released in xylan-containing media was 0.38 mg mL-1. Higher protein yield was obtained in media containing the agro-wastes, with wheat bran giving the highest value of 1.14 mg mL-1. The maximum specific xylanase activities were 2.59, 8.52, 16.06, and 9.36 Units mg Protein -1 for sawdust, sugarcane pulp, wheat bran and xylan respectively. Out of the three agro-wastes used in this study, wheat bran holds the greatest promise for cost-effective production of the xylanase enzyme. The carbon source is the highest inducer of the enzyme in the fungus

Plant Waste Hydrolysis by Extracellular Enzymes of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum: Effect of Ammonia Pretreatment

Aspergillus niger (ANL301) and Penicillium chrysogenum (PCL 501) cultured in basal media with cellulose as sole carbon source yielded extracellular enzymes which partially hydrolyzed sawdust and sugarcane pulp into simple sugars. Pre-treatment of sawdust by ammonium hydroxide steeping increased the yield of simple sugars. The reducing sugars released from the pretreated sawdust by the crude enzymes of A. niger (ANL301) and P. chrysogenum (PCL 501) were 3.58% and 7.02% of the total hydrolysable sugars respectively. This is in contrast to the 0.92% and 1.02% of the total hydrolysable sugars released respectively by the enzymes of A. niger (ANL301) and P. chrysogenum (PCL 501) from the non-pretreated sawdust. Enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane pulp by the crude enzymes was not significantly affected by ammonia pre-treatment. Reducing sugars released from non-pretreated sugarcane pulp by the crude enzymes of A. niger (ANL301) and P. chrysogenum (PCL 501) were respectively 4.17% and 5.08% of the total hydrolysable sugars

Growth stimulation and vegetative development of Solanum lycopersicum L. treated with organic wastes

Soil infertility has been an overriding threat in tomato production, and this has brought to spotlight less expensive ways of increasing soil fertility for crop propagation. This study investigated the influence of organic wastes like poultry manure, eggshells and plantain peels on the establishment and growth of tomato. Garden soil, poultry manure, eggshells and plantain peels were mixed in the ratio of 1000 g : 100g : 25 g : 15g, respectively. Tomato seedlings sown in garden soil and poultry manure (T1) had the highest number of leaves, leaf area, leaf width and leaf length (20.20±2.67 cm, 6.50±1.70 cm, 2.28±0.39 cm and 3.66±0.48 cm, respectively) when compared with the other treatments. The seedlings sown in garden soil and egg shell (T2) had the highest influence on shoot length (11.00 ± 0.70 cm) when compared with the other treatments. Soil amendment with poultry manure in the ratio of 1000 g: 100 g showed the highest influence in all growth parameters of the plant. Thus, poultry manure could be an alternative to inorganic fertilizers which are of high cost or be amended with inorganic fertilizers as a source of nutrient for the seedling establishment and growth of tomato

Effect of carbon sources on cellulase (EC 3. 2. 1. 4) production by Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501

The effects of glucose, crystalline cellulose and sawdust of Mitragyna cilata on the growth and cellulase production, inferred from cellulase (EC 3. 2. 1. 4) activity, of Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501 was determined. Glucose-containing media gave the highest mycelia weight of 1.78 mg mL-1 in 120 h of incubation. This is about 3.5 – 4.5 times the maximum weights of 0.51 and 0.40 mg mL-1 respectively obtained from the cultures containing cellulose and sawdust. The cultures containing crystalline cellulose and sawdust produced extracellular protein with cellulase (EC 3. 2. 1. 4) activity whereas glucose-containing cultures yielded very low protein and no significant cellulase activity. Maximum protein content of 0.02, 0.13 and 0.46 mg mL-1 respectively were obtained from the cultures containing glucose, cellulose and sawdust. Peak cellulase activity values of 100.0 and 92.2 Units L-1 respectively were obtained for the cultures containing cellulose and sawdust. There is a correlation between the protein released and cellulase activity of the culture filtrates. P. chrysogenum PCL501 produces extracellular proteins with significant cellulase activity in media containing cellulose and sawdust but not in glucose-containing medium. Sawdust is indicated as a good inducer of cellulase activity in the organism. The waste cellulosic material can be used as low-cost carbon source for commercial cellulase production

Pectinolytic activity of wild-type filamentous fungi fermented on agro-wastes

Five filamentous fungi (Aspergillus clavatus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp., Penicillum chrysogenum and Trichoderma sp.) isolated from agrowaste samples in Lagos metropolis, Nigeria, depolymerized citrus pectin. Best pectolytic activity, as indicated by the diameter of clear, hydrolyzed zones on the medium plates containing commercial citrus pectin as sole carbon source, was obtained with A. niger, closely followed by P. chrysogenum. The two fungi also produced pectinases with different agrowastes (pineapple peel, orange peels, sawdust, sugarcane pulps and wheat bran) as the sole carbon source. The highest pectinase activity by both fungi was produce with wheat bran as the sole carbon source. Peak pectinase activity of 350.28 ± 2.82 and 478.25 ± 3.04 IU mg-1 protein was respectively obtained by submerged fermentation (SmF) at 48 h for A. niger and P.chrysogenum in media containing wheat bran as the sole carbon source. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) yielded higher levels of pectinase activity than the SmF. The strains of A. niger and P. chrysogenum have good prospect for pectinase production. Wheat bran is a good low-cost fermentation substrate for pectinase production by the investigated fungi