Efficacy of cellulase enzyme produced by some fungal isolates in the cellulose degradation of some organic materials

Abstract

Cellulases are enzymes which act on plant cell wall; cellulolytic microorganisms produce the enzyme during their growth on cellulosic material. The cellulases enzyme has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their great biotechnological and industrial applications. In this study Fungi were isolated from Soil, tree leaves and sawdust of tree branches and screened for degradation of cellulose of some organic materials .The results showed that 36 fungi isolates were obtained included: Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus sp. Fusarium solani and Curvularia coimbatorensis. Aspergillus niger was one of the most frequent isolates with rates of 57%, 70% and 70 in soil, twigs and leaves, respectively, followed by  Aspergillus awamori with a frequency rates of 19%, 20% and 12% in soil samples, twigs and leaves, respectively, whereas Fusarium solani was one of the most frequent fungi 30% in sawdust samples. To detect the  cellulolytic ability of fungal isolates, they were cultured on the  Cellulose Basal medium, Congo red stain method was used to screen the cellulolytic ability of fungal isolates at different temperatures and pH, Based on the  hydrolytic zones formation and cellulase enzyme production. The results showed that the pH and temperature both had a significant effect on the activity of the isolates for enzyme production, Fusarium solani isolates showed high and good activity for enzyme production at pH5 and pH7 under all tested temperatures.