Extracellular β-glucosidase produced by a wild edible mushroom Lentinus squarrosulus of Tripura

β-glucosidase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of the glycosidic bonds to terminal non-reducing residues in β-D-glucosides and oligosaccharides with release of glucose. Microorganisms are potential sources of β-glucosidase enzyme production that can be employed for bioconversion of cellulose. In the present investigation, we focused on screening, production and characterization of extracellular β-glucosidase enzyme produced by wild edible mushroom Lentinus squarrosulus. The mycelial culture of L. squarrosulus producing brown colour of the medium (Cellulolysis basal medium supplemented with esculin) and possessed β-glucosidase activity positive. β-glucosidase enzyme production was maximum after 5th days incubation. Extracellular β-glucosidase enzyme activity was highest at 500C temperature, pH 5 and substrate concentration pnitrophenyl-β-D-glucopiranoside (p-NPG) at 1.4 mM. The present study revealed that wild edible mushroom L. squarrosulus has the ability to produce β-glucosidase enzyme and it may be utilized as a source for the production of industrial β-glucosidase for the bioconversion of cellulose to glucose.