Quantitative estimation of chitinase and several other enzymes in the fungus Beauveria bassiana

Abstract

A strain of the entomophagous fungus Beauveria bassiana was cultivated under stationary and submersed conditions. In the mycelium of stationary cultures of varying age and in culture medium of a 3-day-old submersed culture, the presence of chitinase, cellulase, proteases, and lipase was ascertained. Beauveria bassiana is capable of liberating these enzymes into the medium. Chitinase, of the strain of Beauveria bassiana tested, is a constitutive enzyme. Proteases split peptone and gelatine but not casein. The highest activity of chitinase and cellulase is found in 4-to-5-day-old mycelia, while the maximum amounts of proteases and lipase are formed after a 6-to-7-day period of cultivation of the fungus.