Cellulolytic enzymes produced by a newly isolated soil fungus Penicillium sp. TG2 with potential for use in cellulosic ethanol production

• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2014.10.064
• Publication Date: 2014-11-20T15:02:13Z
• Authors: You Ree Jung; Jang Min Park; Sun-Yeon Heo; Won-Kyung Hong; Sung-Mok Lee; Baek-Rock Oh; Seung-Moon Park; Jeong-Woo Seo; Chul Ho Kim
• Keywords: Kluyveromyces marxianus; Cellulosic ethanol; Trichoderma

Abstract A newly isolated soil fungus, Penicillium sp. TG2, had cellulase activities that were comparable to those of Trichoderma reesei RUT-C30, a common commercial strain used for cellulase production. The maximal and specific activities were 1.27 U/mL and 2.28 U/mg for endoglucanase, 0.31 U/mL and 0.56 U/mg for exoglucanase, 0.54 U/mL and 1.03 U/mg for β-glucosidase, and 0.45 U/mL and 0.81 U/mg for filter paper cellulase (FPase), respectively. Optimal FPase activity was at pH 5.0 and 50 °C. We used a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process, which employed the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus and Penicillium sp. TG2 cellulolytic enzymes, to produce ethanol from empty palm fruit bunches (EFBs), a waste product from the palm oil industry. The present findings indicate that Penicillium sp. TG2 has great potential as an alternative source of enzymes for saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass.