Purification and Characterization of Xylanases from the Fungus Chrysoporthe cubensis for Production of Xylooligosaccharides and Fermentable Sugars

Xylanases from the pathogen fungus Chrysoporthe cubensis were produced under solid state fermentation (SSF) using wheat bran as carbon source. The enzymatic extracts were submitted to ion exchange (Q Sepharose) and gel filtration chromatography methods (Sephadex S-200) for purification. The xylanases were divided into three groups: P1 showed better performance at 60 °C and pH 4.0, P2 at 55 °C and pH 3.0, and P3 at 80 °C and pH 3.0. Oat spelt xylan was the best substrate hydrolyzed by P1 and P3, while beechwood xylan was better degraded by P2. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and p-nitrophenyl-β-D-xylopyranoside (p-NPβXyl) were not hydrolyzed by any of the xylanases. The K M ' or K M values, using oat spelt xylan as substrate, were 2.65 mg/mL for P1, 1.81 mg/mL for P2, and 1.18 mg/mL for P3. Xylobiose and xylotriose were the main xylooligosaccharides of oat spelt xylan degradation, indicating that the xylanases act as endo-β-1,4-xylanases. Xylanases also proved to be efficient for hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse when used as supplement of a commercial cocktail due to the increase of the reducing sugar release.