In this investigation, the cellulase production by mixed cultures of the celluloytic fungus Trichoderma reesei QM 9414 and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae IFO 0216 was studied. Glucose may repress the cellulase production, which means that if the glucose concentration exceeds the requirements for cellular biosynthesis, cellulase production would decrease or stop. The mixed cultures can be expected to decrease the glucose repression and to increase the cellulase production.
Both of the cellulase production and the cellulase activity in the mixed cultures were higher than those of the culture with Trichoderma reesei QM 9414 only.
In the culture with Trichoderma reesei alone, the maximum value of soluble protein was 1.9 mg/ml and the maximum value of filter paper activity was 2.16unit/ml. On the contrary, in the mixed cultures, the maximum concentration of soluble protein was 2.25mg/ml and the maximum value of filter paper activity was 2.22unit/ml.
It can be concluded that the mixed cultures could be a useful way for increasing cellulase production.