Sources of fungal linamarases

Abstract

Forty-four strains of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma and Rhizopus were grown on a liquid medium containing glucose and cassava-root extract. All of the Aspergillus and Fusarium strains, eight out of 10 Penicillium strains and three of seven Trichoderma strains showed linamarase activity. No such activity was detected in any Rhizopus strain. The crude enzyme preparation from F. oxysporum had the highest affinity for linamarin whereas that from A. nidulans was the most heat-stable.