Penicillium ochrochloron Biourge, which was isolated from rotten sweet potato, can produce plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) with high viscosity reducing capability for ethanol production using fresh sweet potato tubers as feedstock. The enzyme preparation was characterized by a broad enzyme spectrum including 13 kinds of enzymes with the activity to hydrolyze cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, starch, and protein. The maximum viscosity-reducing capability was observed when the enzyme preparation was obtained after 5 days of fermentation using 20 g/L corncob as a sole carbon source, 4.5 g/L NH4 NO3 as a sole nitrogen source, and an initial medium pH of 6.5. The sweet potato mash treated with the enzyme preparation exhibited much higher fermentation efficiency (92.58%) compared with commercial cellulase (88.06%) and control (83.5%). The enzyme production was then scaled up to 0.5, 5, and 100 L, and the viscosity-reducing rates were found to be 85%, 90%, and 91%, respectively. Thus, P. ochrochloron Biourge displays potential viscosity-reducing capability for ethanol production.
Keywords: Penicillium ochrochloron Biourge; ethanol; fungi; plant cell wall-degrading enzyme; viscosity reducing rate.
© 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.