Inductive formation of cellulase by sophorose in Trichoderma viride

Various compounds such as glycerol, glucose and its derivatives' glucodisaccharides including sophorose and gentiobiose, cellooligosaccharides, cellulose, and derivatives of sophorose were shaken with washed mycelia of Trichoderma viride. Among these substances, only sophorose and gentiobiose enhanced the extracellular cellulase [EC 3.2.1.4] formation by the washed mycelia, although the degree of stimulation by the latter disaccharide was approximately one seventh that of sophorose. The cellulase induction by sophorose was optimal at a concentration of 1×10−3M, and seemed to be independent of the fungal age. It was completely but in a different way inhibited by actinomycin D as well as puromycin of a suitable amount. Furthermore, various substances related to the catabolites of this fungus inhibited competitively this inductive cellulase formation. On the basis of these results, the mode of cellulase synthesis in this microorganism was discussed.