Lignocellulosic biomass has become a major ally for production of biofuels as a clean and renewable energy source. The manufacturing of cellulolytic enzymes capable of hydrolyzing lignocellulose and producing fermentable sugars has been, and still is a great challenge. There is a wide variety of microorganisms, both bacteria and fungi, capable of producing cellulolytic enzymes. These microorganisms can be grown by solid state fermentation (SSF) or submerged fermentation (FS). In this study, the production of endoglucanase and β-glycosidase by the bacterium IM32-90 were investigated using a 168-h submerged fermentation. The DNA was extracted, purified and subjected to molecular identification, and IM32-90 was classified as a Xanthobacter flavus species. The bacterium IM32-90 produces cellulolytic enzymes, with activities of 0.214 U.mL-1 for endoglucanase and 0.056 U.mL-1 for β-glucosidase. 

 

Key words: Bacteria, biofuels, cellulase, molecular, renewable sources.