7-49: Composition of culture media affects the production of cellulolytic enzymes from marine-derived fungus Aspergillus niger

A great challenge of research for the production of second generation ethanol is to obtain high production of cellulolytic enzymes with low cost. Research has shown that nutritional factors, pH and temperature of cultivation can affect the production of these enzymes. In this context we evaluate the production of cellulolytic enzymes by marine-derived fungus Aspergillus niger after growth in media of different compositions, using commercial cellulose, sugar cane bagasse and wheat bran as substrate, in submerged cultures. The culture was made at 28 and 37ºC under agitation for different incubation times. The determination of cellulolytic activity (FPase and CMCase) was performed by the DNS method. Comparing the results obtained in different media was observed high levels of FPase and CMCase when the fungus was cultivated in Czapeck Dox and mineral media, containing sugarcane bagasse and wheat bran, at 28ºC. Thus, this study confirms that the manipulation of culture conditions may result in increased production of the cellulolytic enzymes with low cost in short cultivation periods.