Production, optimization, and anti-cancer activity of L- asparaginase of Pleurotus ostreatus under solid state fermentation

Agro by-products like Wheat straw, Rice straw, Rice brane, Sugar cane bagasse, saw dust, Maize straw, Cumin straw, Corn seeds, Soya bean husks and Cowpea straw that collected from local farms in Gharbia Governorate, Egypt was used as substrates for production of the medically important L-Asparaginase enzyme under solid state fermentation (SSF). An attempt is made in the present study to optimize the production of L-asparaginase production by Pleurotus ostreatus using wheat straw under solid state fermentation (SSF). The maximum specific activity of L-asparaginase was 3.9 unit/mg that was achieved with the following optimized fermentation parameters: incubation period (9 days), initial moisture content (1: 025), pH 6.0, 30oC, supplemented with Tween 80 as surfactant. L-asparaginase was partially purified with 80 % ammonium sulfate saturation and used to test its efficiency against different cancer cell lines. L-asparaginase enzyme performed an Inhibitory activity against colon carcinoma cells, breast carcinoma cells, and mouse myelogenous leukemia carcinoma cells under an experimental conditions where it performed IC50 of 111 ± 5.4, 204 ± 9.8 and 390 ± 16.6 µg/ml respectively. We are working for the large-scale production of L- asparaginase using cheap growing sources through SSF.