Effects of Ph on Fungal Amylase Activity
Effects of pH on fungal amylase activity
BI 211
November 25, 2011
Introduction In recent years, the uses of microorganisms have become a huge importance to industry and sparked a large interest into the exploration of enzyme activity in microorganisms. Amylase is one of the most widely used enzyme required for the preparation of fermented foods. Apart from food and starch industries, in which demand for them is increasing continuously, amylase is also used in various other industries such as paper and pulp, textiles, and medical labs. The global market for enzymes was about $2 billion in 2004 (Sivaramakrishnan et al., 2006). Fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus are most commonly used for the production of amylase. Traditionally, most of the production of amylase is carried out by submerged fermentation, a process which is a method for growing pure cultures of aerobic bacteria, and are incubated in a liquid medium subjected to continuous vigorous agitation. Because of the ease of handling and a greater control of the environmental factors like temperature and pH, microorganisms like Aspergillus can also be grown on moist solid materials in the absence of free-flowing water. This is called solid-state fermentation. Normally, the substrates fermented by solid-state include a variety of agricultural products such as rice, wheat, and soybeans. However, non-traditional substrates include an abundant supply of agricultural, forest and food-processing wastes
(Young et al., 1995). A number of such substrates have been employed for the cultivation of microorganisms to produce host of enzymes and in this case, amylase. Amylases are starch-degrading enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of internal glycosidic bonds in polysaccharides (Sivaramakrishnan et al., 2006). To be effective, enzymes require specific environmental and chemical conditions. For example, the slightest variation in pH levels can significantly
BI 211
November 25, 2011
Introduction In recent years, the uses of microorganisms have become a huge importance to industry and sparked a large interest into the exploration of enzyme activity in microorganisms. Amylase is one of the most widely used enzyme required for the preparation of fermented foods. Apart from food and starch industries, in which demand for them is increasing continuously, amylase is also used in various other industries such as paper and pulp, textiles, and medical labs. The global market for enzymes was about $2 billion in 2004 (Sivaramakrishnan et al., 2006). Fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus are most commonly used for the production of amylase. Traditionally, most of the production of amylase is carried out by submerged fermentation, a process which is a method for growing pure cultures of aerobic bacteria, and are incubated in a liquid medium subjected to continuous vigorous agitation. Because of the ease of handling and a greater control of the environmental factors like temperature and pH, microorganisms like Aspergillus can also be grown on moist solid materials in the absence of free-flowing water. This is called solid-state fermentation. Normally, the substrates fermented by solid-state include a variety of agricultural products such as rice, wheat, and soybeans. However, non-traditional substrates include an abundant supply of agricultural, forest and food-processing wastes
(Young et al., 1995). A number of such substrates have been employed for the cultivation of microorganisms to produce host of enzymes and in this case, amylase. Amylases are starch-degrading enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of internal glycosidic bonds in polysaccharides (Sivaramakrishnan et al., 2006). To be effective, enzymes require specific environmental and chemical conditions. For example, the slightest variation in pH levels can significantly
Cited: Ladokun O.A., Adejuwon A.O. “Amylase from Aspergillus fumigatus associated with deterioration of rice (Oryza sativa).” Department of Biochemistry Lead City University , Ibadan , Nigeria . 2011. Morgan J.G., Carter M.E.B Weslake R., Alexander W., MacGregor R., Duckworth H. “Purification and Characteristics of an Endogenous Amylase Inhibitor from Barley Kernels.” Plant Physiol, 1983; pp.1008-1012.