Cellulase koningii

The most intensive fractionation studies have been performed on the cellulase elaborated by T. koningii (5,6,9,16,26,27) and T. viride (8,10, 28-32). In a typical separation, normally by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex, three protein peaks are obtained (Figure 1). The first and second contain Cx Ci is in the third. Cx and / -glucosidase are separated by chromatography on SE-Sephadex and Ci is purified by repeated chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and by isoelectric focusing. 

Table I. Cellulase (Cotton-Solubilizing) Activity of Ci, Cx, and / -Glucosidase of T. koningii and F. solani> when Acting Alone and in Combination0...

In the same context, results from cotton vary, too. Halliwell and Griffin (9), for example, report that cotton was solubilized to the extent of 20% by a Ci component from T. koningii cellulase, despite the fact that it was free from contaminating Cx (CM-cellulose) activity. Since this compares with a value of between 2 and 4% for the Ci components of F. solani, T. koningii, and P. funiculosum isolated in our laboratory, it seems reasonable to assume that there is some fundamental difference between the two components, bearing in mind that the substrates used in both studies were identical, as far as one can ascertain. 

If the mechanism of cellulase action can be explained simply in terms of sequential action of endo- and exoglucanases, it is logical to expect that Ci from one cellulase preparation should act synergistically with Cx from another, at least in those enzyme systems from which both Cx and Ci have been isolated. Synergism between Ci of P. funiculosum and Cx of T. viride has already been demonstrated (22), and the results in Table V show that "cross-synergism of this type is shown by many different mixtures of the Ci and Cx components of F. solani, T, koningii, and P. funiculosum cellulases. In each case, a marked potentiation in activity is observed. 

Table VI. Synergistic Effects on Cellulase (Cotton-Solubilizing) Activity Shown by Some Fungal Culture Filtrates, when Supplemented with Ci from T. koningii or P. funiculosum Cellulasesa...

Five endoglucanases have been isolated from S. pulverulentum cellu-lase (23), four from T. viride Onozuka cellulase (37), and three from T. viride Meicelase (31), but there are many other reports of the fractionation of multiple Cx components. P. funiculosum cellulase contains three and possibly four endoglucanases (Figure 7), while we have reported T. koningii cellulase to contain five (17) and recently six (46). 

Figure 10. Relationship between fluidity and reducing power during the hydrolysis of CM-ceUulose by the Cx components of T. koningii cellulase...

Figure 11. Effect of Cx enzyme components of T. koningii cellulase on the degree of polymerization of HsPO -swollen cellulose. The degree of polymerization was determined by viscometry after dissolution in Cadoxen...

Many fungi are capable of producing extracellular enzymes that can degrade cellulose. They are Trichoderma (T) reesei, T. viride, T. koningii, T. lignorum, Penicillium funiculosum, Fusarium solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, and so on. Bacterial species such as Cellulomonas along with Clostridium thermocellum can also produce cellulases (Marsden and Gray, 1986). 

Wang SW, Xing M, Liu G, Yun SW, Wang J, Tian SL. (2012). Improving cellulase production in Trichoderma koningii through RNA interference on acelgene expression. J Microbiol Biotechnol, 22, 1133-1140. 

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