Determination of Cellulase Activity Using Hydroxyethylellulose as Substrate

Abstract

Nonionic celluloses are recommended to replace ionic celluloses as substrates in viscometric determinations of low levels of cellulase. A rapid, sensitive assay is described using hydroxyethylcellulose as substrate, and a correction factor is applied to compensate for deviations from linearity in viscosity measurement. The assay system has been used successfully for the measurement of low levels of extracellular and intracellular cellulases of both fungal and plant-cell origin.