Hydrolytic enzyme production of endophytic fungi isolated from soybean (Glycine max)

Abstract

This current approach aimed to isolate endophytic fungi from soybean (Glycine max L.) and to assess for their ability to produce hydrolytic extracellular enzymes such as carboxymethyl cellulase (CMC-ase), xylanase and amylase in order to evaluate their ecological role within the host plant. Ten endophytic fungi were isolated from soybean (roots, stems, and leaves). All isolated endophytes (100%) exhibited CMC-ase, xylanase and amylase activities using the minimal synthetic medium (MSM) for enzyme production supplemented with 2% agar in presence of the appropriate carbon source including carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) for CMC-ase, xylan for xylanase and starch for amylase). The endophytic isolates showed growth stimulation on CMC and xylan media and were hyperactive in the presence of these substrates more than glucose. On the other hand, starch was investigated as the lower preferable substrate for these endophytes. These relevant results endeavored to explore endophytic fungi and to investigate their production of industrial microbial enzymes.