Synthesis of extracellular (1 → 3)- and (1 → 6)-β-glucanase activities in carbon limiting chemostat culture by the fungus Acremonium sp. IMI 383068

When Acremonium sp. IMI 383068 was grown under chemostat conditions with scleroglucan as sole carbon source, the fungus produced four (1 → 3)-β-glucanases and a single (1 → 6)-β-glucanase. Production of the (1 → 3)-β-glucanase was growth rate related while the (1 → 6)-β-glucanase was growth rate unrelated. Specific activities of both were affected by increasing agitation speed, independently of dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) or growth rates, falling at the higher speeds examined. They also increased as DOT levels increased. No evidence was obtained to substantiate any relationship between enzyme specific activities and hyphal branching frequencies.