APPL POMACE - A POTENTIAL SUBSTRATE FOR PRODUCTION OF BETA-GLUCOSIDASE BY ASPERGILLUS-FOETIDUS

Of the three Aspergillus species examined, Aspergillus foetidus NRRL 337 was found to produce more beta-glucosidase activity on apple pomace than Aspergillus niger NRRL 599 and Aspergillus fumigatus P1061. The enzyme was purified 12-fold by ultrafiltration and gel filtration with a yield of 490 g/kg. The partially purified enzyme exhibited its optimal activity at 65-degrees-C and was most active at pH 4.6. The K(m) value for p-nitrophenol beta D-glucopyranoside (PNPG) was 0.87 mmol/L. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 275 kDa as estimated by gel filtration with Sephadex G-200.