Production and regulation of lignin degrading enzymes from Lentinus squarrosulus (mont.) Singer and Psathyrella atroumbonata Pegler

The influence of metal ions on the production and regulation of ligninase and mycelia extension of two type Basidiomycetes (Lentinus squarrosulus and Psathyrella atroumbonata) cultivated on lignocellulose waste was investigated. Mn2+ and Ca2+ ions stimulated growth of both fungi and mycelia extension significantly. Ligninase production increased two to twelve fold under the influence of Mn2+ and Ca2+ ions at concentrations of 20 to 80 mM. Mg2+ and K+ ions did not stimulate growth and extension of fungal mycelia, rather fungal cultures became deactivated after six days. The importance of mycelia extension and enhanced enzyme production has biotechnological applications in wood and pulp, textile and tanning, as well as in oil industries

Full Length Research Paper - Studies on the degradation of wood sawdust by Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer

Lentinus squarrosulus   (Mont.) Singer, a basidiomycete also known as a white rot fungi, was immobilized on sodium alginate and tested for the effectiveness to degrade wood sawdust (WSD). Untreated and 0.1 M HCl-pretreated WSD samples were separately reacted in a micro-carrier bioreactor (μCBR) and the extent of degradation to form protein, glucose and ethanol was investigated. Pretreatment enhanced the production of both proteins and ethanol by average value of 72.0% over untreated WSD samples, after hydraulic retention time of 72 h. The maximum production of protein observed was 0.94 mg/ml-reaction volume and that of ethanol was 6.6 mg/ml-reaction volume, whereas glucose concentration fluctuated due to interconversion to ethanol. This report shows that L. squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer have the potentials of degrading WSD samples to important chemical compounds that are not hazardous to the environment

RFLP- Based Gel Electrophoregram of DNA Primers for Acha (Fonio) Characterisation From Nigeria

The evaluation of the molecular diversity of Acha (Digitaria sp.) was carried out using Microsatelite primer combinations specially designed forDigitaria exilis. The amplifiedmicrosatellite fragments were also used in the other species of Digitaria namely%253B Digitaria barbinodis and Digitaria iburua.DNA extraction was carried and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis was conducted on the restricted amplified DNA extracts using microsatellite primers developed for Digitaria exilis. RFLPs clearly suggest a distinct separation of the three species of Acha at the molecular level (D. iburua, D. exilis and D. barbinodis) demonstrating the extent of their genetic differences at the DNA level