Studies on cellulase production by Clostridium thermocellum

Summary

Clostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405 (and its improved cellulase-producing mutant, AS-39) is an anaerobic thermophile that produces endo-β-glucanase and exo-β-glucanase when grown on cellobiose or cellulose as major carbon source (Shinmyo et al. 1979). The site of cellulase accumulation was at least 95% extracellular. Optimum conditions for endo-β-glucanase production in flasks included 1% (w/v) cellobiose, 0.2% (w/v) urea as a nitrogen source, 0.1 M morpholinopropane-sulfonic acid buffer, an initial pH of 7.4, and a yeast extract concentration of 0.6% (w/v). An improved medium (GS medium) was devised for future studies. Xylan was degraded by an extracellular enzyme (s) produced during cultivation on cellobiose, although C. thermocellum does not grow on xylan.