Pectinase hyperproduction in Fungi Isolates

Abstract

Improving the yield of enzyme production via microfungi strain improvement using UV mutation has become a priority in most enzymes generating countries, for economic and ecological reasons.In view of these reasons, Hyper‐production of pectinase by these strains using UV as mutagen and 2dg as selectant was studied. The mutant strains were compared based on the enzyme production, catabolite repression and the genetic variability between wild and mutant strain was investigated using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers.Three Aspergillus niger 2dg UV mutants and five P.chrysogenum 2dg UV mutants were isolated post exposure of the strains to UV irradiation. 2 dg UV M2 mutant of Aspergillus niger was selected as best mutant with an enzyme activities of 465% and 230% in SSF and SmF respectively. P.chrysogenum 2DG‐UV W1, gave a percentage enzyme activity of 218% in solid state fermentation, and 2DG‐UV W2 gave a better pectinase yield (135%) in SSF. The glucose showed no repression (CR) on pectinase production of both the 2dg UV M2 and 2dg UV W1. However, sucrose repressed pectinase production in P.chrysogenum. The results of RAPD‐PCR showed a considerable genetic variation between the wild and mutant strains of both fungi strainsThis work shows that the natural process of biodegradation and UV mutagenesis could be harnessed for the bioproduction of pectinase an important enzyme in major fermentation industries.