The recovery of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes from spent mushroom compost

✍ Scribed by Andrew S. Ball; Anita M. Jackson

• Book ID: 103982674
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 361 KB
• Volume: 54
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0960-8524
• DOI: 10.1016/0960-8524(95)00153-0

✦ Synopsis

The recovery of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes from spent mushroom compost was assessed using a variety of physical and chemical treatments. Maximum recoveries of active xylanase activity were detected in extracts from spent compost which had been physically treated by blending. A range of lignocellulose-degrading activities was also recovered from blended compost extracts; peroxidases, the xylan-debranching enzymes acetylesterase and arabinofuranosidase, and the cellulosedegrading activities endoglucanase, ceUobiohydrase and fl-glucosidase. The compost extract was also shown to be capable of releasing reducing sugars (12 nmol min "1 g compost -1) from wheat straw. Characterization of the stability of this enzyme activity showed that maximum activity could be detected between pH 7 and 9 and after 1 h incubation at 65°C. The activity and stability of the enzymes suggest a potential role for enzyme cocktails from compost extracts in the biological upgrading of grass lignocelluloses to animal fodder.