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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 August; 52(2): 320-324

Utilization of Xylan by Yeasts and Its Conversion to Ethanol by Pichia stipitis Strains

Division of Biological Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0R6

ABSTRACT

Yeasts able to grow on D-xylose were screened for the ability to hydrolyze xylan. Xylanase activity was found to be rare; a total of only 19 of more than 250 strains yielded a positive test result. The activity was localized largely in the genus Cryptococcus and in Pichia stipitis and its anamorph Candida shehatae. The ability to hydrolyze xylan was generally uncoupled from that to hydrolyze cellulose; only three of the xylan-positive strains also yielded a positive test for cellulolytic activity. Of the 19 xylanolytic strains, 2, P. stipitis CBS 5773 and CBS 5775, converted xylan into ethanol, with about 60% of a theoretical yield computed on the basis of the amount of D-xylose present originally that could be released by acid hydrolysis.

^* Corresponding author.

National Research Council of Canada Publication no. 26001.

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