title: Mutagenesis and genotypic characterization of Aspergillus niger FCBP-02 for improvement in cellulolytic potential.
abstract: Cellulase is a collective term that encompasses enzymes which catalyze reactions that participate in the degradation of insoluble cellulose to soluble carbohydrates. In the present study, production of extra cellular cellulases by a filamentous fungus, Aspergillus niger FCBP-02, was studied in solid-state fermentation (SSF) as well as in submerged fermentation (SmF). Trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of mutagenesis by UV irradiation (5-40 min) and ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) treatment (50-300 microg mL(-1)) to obtain hyper active cellulase enzyme producers among the potential strains. The enzyme activity assays of parental and mutant strains clearly revealed significantly higher cellulase activity of mutant A-Ch-5.5 (96 Units mL(-1)), followed by A-UV-5.6 (71 Units mL(-1)) with respect to the wild strain of A. niger FCBP-02 (53.7 Units mL(-1)). The profile of genetic variability among wild and mutant derivatives was scrutinized through RAPD-PCR. The expression pattern of mutants exhibited that the mutants were isogenic variants of the wild type and the out performance of the mutants could be attributed to the change in genetic make up.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mycology and Plant Pathology, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, 54590-Lahore, Pakistan. shaziashafique@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Shazia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shafique
authors.forename: Rukhsana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bajwa
authors.forename: Sobiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shafique
mesh_terms: D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D044602:Cellulases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D016296:Mutagenesis; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D044602:Cellulases