Induction of Cellulolytic and Xylanolytic Enzyme Systems in Streptomyces spp.

Extracellular enzyme preparations from Streptomyces flavogriseus and Streptomyces olivochromogenes cultures grown on cellulose contained primarily cellulase activities, but similar preparations from cultures grown on xylan-containing materials possessed high levels of both cellulase and xylanase activities. Growth conditions that gave high endoxylanase levels also resulted in the production of enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of the nonxylose components of xylan. Specific acetyl xylan esterase activities were identified in enzyme preparations from both organisms. Both organisms also produced alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase activity that was not associated with endoxylanase activity. Other activities produced were alpha-l-O-methylglucuronidase and ferulic acid esterase. The latter enzyme was produced only by S. olivochromogenes and is an activity which has not previously been identified as a component of hemicellulase preparations.