Nanocellulose induces cellulase production in Trichoderma reesei

•Nanocellulose (NC) was produced by controlled microbial hydrolysis.•NC induced of cellulase enzyme in Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus niger.•NC induced complete array of cellulase enzyme with potency comparable to sophorose.•NC sustained cellulase enzyme induction for 5 days with 80% substrate utilization.

Nanocellulose prepared by controlled microbial hydrolysis (NCm) induced secretion of complete array of cellulase by the fungus, Trichoderma reesei. The nanocellulose prepared by conventional sulphuric acid hydrolysis (NCa) and high pressure homogenization process (NFC) were also evaluated in this study in addition to two commercial inducers namely, sophorose and cellobiose. Batch culture was grown on Mandel's basal salt medium added with cellulose as the sole carbon source. Cell growth, substrate concentration and cellulase production were analysed over a period of 5 days. NCa, due to attachment of sulphate groups on surface, inhibited the growth of the fungus. NFC could not effectively induce secretion of cellulase as it tends to aggregate due to high aspect ratio ( > 1000). While sophorose induced an incomplete array of cellulase that too only up to 2 h, cellobiose induced complete array with 65% substrate utilization over a period of 5 days. NCm induced complete array of cellulase with 80% substrate utilized over a period of 5 days. This is attributed to higher crystallinity that helped in slower degradation and steady release of molecules needed for enzyme induction.

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