Preparation and Characteristics of Alkaline -active Cellulases from Coprinaceae

Coprinus cinereus 2249 producing alkaline-active cellulase was screened from 29 species of Corpinaceae and constitutively produced alkaline carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) and filter paper cellulase (Fpase). When cultivated at pH 9.0, 25$^{\circ}C$ and 5 days, copnnus cinereus 2249 produced higher alkaline activity on 0.5% CMC, 2% wheat bran as carbon source and 0.5% peptone, 0.05% yeast extract as nitrongen source compared with other culture conditions. The level of cellulase production was higher in the presence of wheat bran than in the presence of CMC. The optimum temperature and pH for alkaline -active cellulase activity weas 50$^{\circ}C$ and 9, 0, respectively.