Flow-microcalorimetric determination of enzymatic activities of the Trichoderma viridae-cellulase complex

A method for measuring enzymatic activities of the Trichoderma viridae cellulase complex is described. The LKB 2277 Thermal activity monitor and a flow-mix mode were used. Enzymatic activities of samples of a crude cellulose complex have been determined using three substrates: cellobiose, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and xylan. Some kinetic constants for cellobiase activity have been evaluated from the obtained results. A process of the end-product inhibition of cellobiase resp. carboxymethyl cellulase activity by glucose has been observed too. The described method allows a direct determination of various enzymatic activities of the cellulase complex. Because of the high sensitivity and the simplicity, the method is a very suitable tool for studying the cellulase complex, determining the optimal conditions of enzymatic break-down of the cellulosic materials and observing various mechanisms of the feed-back control by products of enzymatic action. The procedure is completely general in nature and is applicable to other enzymatic systems.