Microscopic life residing the extreme environments of the caves are increasingly drawing interest of the microbiologists worldwide. Certain bacterial inhabitants of cave are found to produce various extracellular enzymes such as cellulase, mannose, xylanase that can be used to consume lignocellulosic biomass. The xylanase activity is carried on different pretreated lignocellulosic biomass containing high xylan content such as sugarcane baggase. Media optimizations for high xylanase production are performed on LB, AIM, TB followed by extraction and purification of the enzyme. The enzyme xylanase are useful as feed supplements, food improvers, bleaching, lignocellulosic waste degradation leading to the production of bioethanol and several other industrial applications. Highest production of xylanase from Bacillus sp. isolated from the caves was achieved in the TB medium extracellular protein concentration containing xylanase 14U. Partially purified extracellular xylanase displayed optimum pH 6.5 and temperature 50ºC. Thermostability of the xylanase at the elevated temperature showed stability between 80-90ºC retaining its 99% activity. Time dependent enzymatic hydrolysis of beechwood xylan and preprocessed agro waste sugarcane bagasse exhibited the release of xylotetrose, xylotriose and xylobiose oligosaccharide (XOS) significantly high as compared to the other oligosaccharides.
Author(s): Mahanta S, Das P, Banerjee S, Ghosh A