Apple pomace: A potential substrate for production of β-glucosidase by aspergillus foetidus

Abstract

Of the three Aspergillus species examined, Aspergillus foetidus NRRL 337 was found to produce more β-glucosidase activity on apple pomace than Aspergillus niger NRRL 599 and Aspergillus fumigatus P1061. The enzyme was purified 12-fold by ultrafiltration and gel filtration with a yield of 490 g/kg. The partially purified enzyme exhibited its optimal activity at 65°C and was most active at pH 4.6. The Km value for p-nitrophenol β D-glucopyranoside (PNPG) was 0.87 mmol/L. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 275 kDa as estimated by gel filtration with Sephadex G-200. © 1994 Academic Press.