Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology

Xylanase enzymes play a vital role in the breakdown of hemicellulose biomass and have diverse industrial applications. This study focused on the production, partial purification, and characterization of xylanase from Fusariun solani isolated from the gut of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae latreille). Xylanase was produced by submerged fermentation using carboxymethyl cellulose as the carbon source. The crude enzyme extract showed xylanase activity of 0.095 U/mL. Partial purification of xylanase was achieved through ammonium sulfate precipitation (60 % saturation) and ion-exchange chromatography using DEAE sephacel resin, resulting in 21.5 % yield and 112.1-fold purification. The purified xylanase exhibited optimal activity at an alkaline pH of 4.0 and retained stability over a broad pH range from 5.0 to 12.0. It showed optimum activity at 40 °C, displaying thermostability up to 60°C for 3 hours. Metal ions including Al²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Hg²⁺ stimulated cellulase activity while Mg²⁺ inhibited it. Kinetic analysis revealed a K_m of 0.3741 mM and a V_max of 0.5363 mg/ml/min. This study demonstrates the potential biotechnological applications of xylanase derived from insect gut microbes, for use in biomass hydrolysis, food processing, feed processing and other industrial processes requiring hydrolytic enzymes stable under alkaline conditions and moderate heat.