Bioethanol production from wheat straw via enzymatic route employing Penicillium janthinellum cellulases

•P. janthinellum EMS-UV-8 produces all the cellulase components required for biomass hydrolysis.•P. janthinellum cellulase was evaluated for applications in SSF and SHF for bioethanol production.•SSF process resulted in ethanol concentration and yield of 21.6 g/L and 54.4%, respectively.

This study concerns in-house development of cellulases from a mutant Penicillium janthinellum EMS-UV-8 and its application in separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) processes for bioethanol production from pre-treated wheat straw. In a 5 L fermentor, the above strain could produce cellulases having activity of 3.1 FPU/mL and a specific activity of 0.83 FPU/mg of protein. In-house developed cellulase worked more efficiently in case of SSF as ethanol concentration of 21.6 g/L and yield of 54.4% were obtained which were higher in comparison to SHF (ethanol concentration 12 g/L and 30.2% yield). This enzyme preparation when compared with commercial cellulase for hydrolysis of pre-treated wheat straw was found competitive. This study demonstrates that P. janthinellum EMS-UV-8 is a potential fungus for future large-scale production of cellulases.