Diversity and Bioprospecting of Filamentous Fungi Isolated From Nausitora Fusticulus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) Digestive Organs for Lignocellulolytic Enzymes / Diversidade E Bioprospecção De Fungos Filamentosos Isolados Dos Órgãos Digestivos De Nausitora Fusticulus (Bivalvia:teredinidae) Para Obtenção De Enzimas Lignocelulolíticas

Abstract

The conversion of cellulose into fermentable sugars is a process of great interest to the industry and biotechnological research. The search for new sources of enzymes capable of hydrolyzing these polymers becomes urgent because of the numerous applications for energy generation. The depolymerization of the cellulose can be carried out by an enzymatic complex of cellulases capable of hydrolyzing the cellulose fractions to their glucose monomers. These enzymes are produced by microorganisms, such as filamentous fungi, that live in several types of habitats, including inside the digestive system of animals' wood consuming, as is the case of shipworms. The objective of this work was to investigate the presence of microorganisms in the digestive organs of Nausitora fusticulus shipworm and to evaluate the production of cellulases by these microspecies. From the digestive tract of N. fusticulus specimens, fungi and bacteria were isolated, and from the total of isolates, some fungi presented cellulase production. Enzyme-producing fungi were separated by enzyme index tests and the ones with the best performance were selected to produce enzymes in liquid medium in the presence of carboxy-methylcellulose and sugar cane bagasse as substrates. Cultures with sugar cane bagasse showed higher production of cellulases, indicating that these fungi can be induced to increase their