SOPHOROSE AS AN INDUCER OF CELLULASE IN TRICHODERMA VIRIDE

Abstract

Mandels, Mary (Quartermaster Research and Engineering Center, Natick, Mass.), Fredrick W. Parrish, and Elwyn T. Reese . Sophorose as an inducer of cellulase in Trichoderma viride . J. Bacteriol. 83: 400–408. 1962.—The impurity in glucose responsible for cellulase induction in Trichoderma viride QM 6a has been isolated and characterized as sophorose (2-O-β- d -glucopyranosyl- d -glucose). It is present at 0.0058% in reagent grade glucose. Sophorose is a very powerful inducer of cellulase for Trichoderma viride , being 2500 times as active as cellobiose. Modifications of sophorose, such as reduction or glycoside formation, destroy its inducing ability. The high activity of sophorose as an inducer is specific for T. viride .