Use of molecular-genetically bred Coprinus cinereus strains for an efficient isolation of cellulose from rice straw.

Molecular-bred Coprinus cinereus monokaryotic strains with high lignin- and xylan-degrading activities were mixed-cultured at 27 degrees C in the liquid medium containing 0.5% (w/v) cut rice straw and 0.025% MnCl2. After 3 weeks, the culture supernatant was extensively treated with crude cellulase, showing the presence in it of 9.3% of the total cellulose of rice straw. When rice straw treated with 0.1 N NaOH or cultured with Ganoderma applanatum were used, the recoveries of the cellulose increased up to 29%. The same experiments were done by using a non-bred control strain, showing the recoveries of the cellulose from the treated or cultured rice straw to be 8%.