Evaluate of pumpkin oil cake as substrate for the cellulase production byPenicillium roqueforti in solid state fermentation

Abstract

Evaluate  of  pumpkin  oil  cake  as  substrate  for  the  carboxyl  methyl  cellulase  (CMCase) production  by  Penicillium  roqueforti  in  solid  state  fermentation  was  the  main  aim  of  this  study. Comparisons were made for CMCase  production  using wheat  bran  (WB)  and  different  oil cakes  as substrates. WB served as the best carbon source for CMCase synthesis by P. roqueforti as it gave the highest enzymes activity  (53.06 U gds ­1 ) (units per gram dried solid). Reasonably good quantities of enzyme  were  produced  on  mixed  substrate  (PuOC+WB)  and  on  PuOC  (pumpkin  oil  cake)  as  sole nutrient  source,  which  were  48.49  U  gds ­1  and  37.07  U  gds ­1 ,  respectively.  The  results  could  be considered  interesting  as  they  indicated  the  suitability  of  PuOC  as  substrate  in  compare  to  WB. Knowing  that  the  enzyme  synthesis  was  related  to  the  availability  of  moisture,  variation  in  initial moisture content of substrate was investigated. Substrate with initial moisture of 44.44 %, showed the highest  CMCase  yield  (36.0  U  gds ­1 )  and  was  used  for  the  further  investigation.  The  influence  of incubation  time  on  the  enzyme  production  during  SSF  was  also  evaluated.  CMCase  production increased progressively with incubation time and maximal activity was obtained after fifth days (59.9 U gds ­1 ).