Detection of cellulase inhibitor in the wheat bran culture of Aspergillus terreus

Abstract

The presence of a cellulase inhibitor in the wheat bran culture of a fungus is reported for the first time. The inhibitor has a low molecular weight and is relatively stable to heat. It is absent from wheat bran and is not produced in a chemically defined medium. Unlike cellulase inhibitors of plant origin, this inhibitor is not a polyphenol. It inhibits the hydrolysis of cotton to a greater degree than that of filter paper or carboxymethylcellulose. In addition to inhibiting Aspergillus terreus cellulase, it also inhibits a variety of commercial cellulases.