Production of pectinases by Polyporus squamosus in aqueous two-phase system

Screening for pectinolytic activity of wood-rotting basidiomycetes and characterization of the enzymes

Seventy-five fungal strains from different groups of basidiomycetes, newly isolated from rotten wood, were screened for pectinolytic activity. Despite the fact that basidiomycetes are scarcely referred to as pectinase producers, the polygalacturonase (PG) activity was detected in 76% of the strains; 16% with activity higher than 40 nkat/g, 40% between 13.3 and 40 nkat/g, and 44% with activity lower than 13.3 nkat/g. The highest productions were obtained among the fungi from order Aphyllophorales, family Polyporaceae. The characterization of the enzymes from the highest PG producers (Lentinus sp., Gloeophyllum striatum, Pycnoporus sanguineus, Schizophyllum commune) showed optimum temperature for catalytic activity at 60-70 degrees C and two peaks of pH optimum (3.5-4.5 and 8.5-9.5). The enzymes exhibited high pH stability (3.0-11.0) but after incubation at 40 degrees C for 1 h their activity dropped by 18-73%.

Pectinases partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems: An integration of the systems poly(ethylene glycol)crude dextran and poly(ethylene glycol)ammonium sulphate

The partitioning of pectinases in the poly(ethylene glucol)4000/ammonium sulpohate system was studied and also its application for enzymes extraction from the top phase of the poly(ethylene glucol)4000/crude dextran system. Almost complete one-sided partition of endo-pectinase and exo-pectinase to the bottom phase of the polymer/salt system was achieved at a tie-line length of 37.16 %. The concentration factors were 1.73 and 3.25, respectively. The highest total endo- and exo-pectinase yields (72.41 % and 69.46 % respectively) were obtained by integration of the polymer/polymer system at a tie-line of 8.61 % and a high phase volume ratio and the polymer/salt system at a tie-line of 30.23%and a low phase volume ratio. Integration of the partitioning at a high tie-line length in the polymer/polimer and a low tie-line length in the polymer/salt system resulted in a total concentration factor of 1.5 and a purification of 1.66 fold for exo-pectinase. The addition of phosphate to this integrated system improved the total concentration factor and purification fold of the activity to 1.73 and 2.14, respectively.

Cultivation of Polyporus squamosus for pectinase production in aqueous two-phase system containing sugar beet extraction waste

Cultivation of the fungus Polyporus squamosus for pectinase production was studied in a polyethylene glycol/crude dextran aqueous two-phase system, with sugar beet extraction waste as pectin source. Fungal growth was restricted to the bottom phase and the amounts of biomass and exo-pectinase activity produced were superior to in homogeneous cultivation. The partition coefficients of endo-pectinase and exo-pectinase were 4.26 and 2.78, respectively. The top phase yields in the single extraction step were about 90% for both pectinases.