Production and Partial Purification of Beta-Mannanase from Aspergillus niger Associated with Ilaje Lake, Ondo State, Nigeria

Beta-mannanase otherwise known as mannan endo-1,4-βmannosidase or 1,4-β-D-mannanase with an enzyme commission (EC) 3.2.1.78 breakdowns β-1,4-mannosidic bonds in the main chain of glucomannans, galactomannans and β-1,4-mannans [1]. It transforms the abundant mannan-rich heteromannan, glucomannan and galactomannan substrates into mannooligosaccharides [2] and a small amount of mannose, glucose and galactose [1,3]. A number of plants, bacteria, fungi and various invertebrates had been reported to produce β-mannanase [1,3]. The mannanase of biological origins have found a variety of applications in different industrial sectors [3], including animal feed formulation, pharmaceutical products preparation, pulp biobleaching, [4], as well as pre-treatment of plant biomass for second generation biofuel production [5].