Prospects for the use of new basidiomycete strains for the direct conversion of lignocellulose into ethanol

Sixty-six isolates of basidiomycete fungi were screened for the ability to synthesize cellulase. The effect of temperature on cellulase activity was studied for eight basidiomycete strains as perspective producers of ethanol. The temperature optima of enzyme activity ranged between 26 and 32°C. Direct conversion of Na-carboxymethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose and rye straw were studied for seven basidiomycetes strains: Fomitopsis pinicola MT-5.09, F. pinicola MT-5.21, Piptoporus betulinus MT-30.04, Fomes fomentarius MT-4.05, F. fomentarius MT-4.23, Trametes hirsuta MT-24.24, Flammulina velutipes MT-3.03 Maximum ethanol production from Na-carboxymethyl cellulose (1.3 g/dm3) was achieved by strain F. velutipes MT-3.03. Strain F. fomentarius MT-4.05 more effectively converted rye straw to ethanol with yield of 1.1 g/dm3.