Growth and cutinase activity of Fusarium culmorum grown in solid-state fermentation

Abstract

Cutinase is a very versatile enzyme due to the wide range of substrates that it can use. It has application in several biotechnological areas, acting as biocatalysts in the food industry, in detergents as well as in biodegradation of polymers and other toxic substances. In this research, glucose consumption, protein content, biomass and cutinase production by Fusarium culmorum were evaluated. Cutinolitic activity was observed using gel zymography. This fungus was grown on culture media containing glucose and different concentrations of apple cutin (0, 1, 3 and 10 g/L) in solid-state fermentation. F. culmorum showed the highest production of biomass, protein and cutinase in medium supplemented with 10 g of cutin/L. Glucose uptake was inversely proportional to the cutin concentration. Medium lacking cutin showed the fastest glucose consumption. Heavily stained bands were observed in the gel with increasing concentrations of cutin after 72 h, showing a molecular weight of 50 kDa. These results shown that apple cutin induced cutinase production and was also used as carbon source. It was also observed that glucose did not act as a repressor of cutinase production.