Potential application of cellulase and hemicellulase assay techniques for assessing the forage quality and performance of rumen micro-organisms

Abstract

Cellulose and hemicellulose are the major structural polysaccharides of plant cell wall. The efficient utilization of these polysaccharides by ruminants is often restricted by the presence of lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose are hydrolysed by a group of enzymes called cellulases and hemicellulases. The present paper describes the cellulase and hemicellulase assay methods and their potential applications.Carboxymethyl (CM)-cellulose, Avicel, cellobiose, xylobiose, p-nitrophenyl-p β-D-glucoside (pNPG), p-nitrophenyl-β-D-cellobioside (pNPC), p-nitrophenyl-β-D-xyloside (pNPX) and p-nitrophenyl- α-L-arabinofuranoside (pNPAf) were from Sigma. Birchwood xylan and filter paper are from Carl Roth GmbH and Co., Germany and Whatman International Ltd, UK, respectively. H3P04-Swollen cellulose and 4-O-methyl-α-D-glucuronyl-xylotriose (mGpA-Xyl3) were prepared as described (Wood, 1988; Khandkeet al., 1989a).