Isolation, identification and screening of cellulolytic activity of some fungi from different sources and localities in Egypt

Cellulolytic fungi, Cellulolytic activity, Congo red, Clear zone, Screening Cellulases are a series of hydrolytic enzymes that can hydrolyze cellulosic biomass into a simpler sugar. In the present study, thirty-one fungal species were isolated from different places in Al-Gharbia and Aswan governorates. These fungal species were identified and found to belong to twelve genera "Trichoderma, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Botritrichom, Rhizopus, Cephalosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, Mucor, Circinella, Alternaria and Rhodotorula". All identified fungal species were screened for cellulolytic activity based on clear zone diameter using 0.1% congo red. Out of thirty-one fungal species, 27 species showed cellulolytic activity and the highest activity was recorded by Trichoderma viride and isolate No. 1 of Aspergillus niger. All 27 fungal species were tested for three cellulolytic enzymes as "carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), βglucosidase (βGase), and filterpaper cellulase (FPase)". The highest total cellulolytic activity for three cellulolytic enzymes was recorded by isolate No. 1 of Aspergillus niger (79.3 U/ml). Among all tested isolates of Aspergillus niger isolate No. 1 isolated from Tanta was the best one.