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Maximum xylanase production byChaetomiumcellulolyticumwas obtained in the culture supernatant after 30 h of growth at 37°C in basal medium containing 1% xylan at pH maintained between 6.5 and 7.5. Addition of 0.05% Tween 80 to the medium increased the enzyme production considerably. Xylanase production was found to be growth associated. The optimal conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis of xylan were found to be pH 6.0 and 50°C. During enzymatic hydrolysis, xylose, xylobiose and other xylooligosaccharides were liberated from xylan. The pH values for xylanase production and for xylan hydrolysis were closely related to the utilization of hemicelluloses of aspen wood for fungal protein production by this organism as reported in our earlier work.

Chaetomiumcellulolyticumwas able to produce xylanases on all the three lignocelluloses: wheat straw, corn stover and aspen wood. Wheat straw was the best. Solid state fermentation of lignocelluloses gave higher yields of xylanases than liquid state fermentation, but it took longer time of incubation.