The hybrid HZ obtained by protoplast fusion between auxotrophic
mutants of A. flavipes and A. niveus CH-Y-1043, is a
pectin lyase-overproducing hybrid. Pectin lyase is overproduced
in medium containing lemon peel as sole carbon source. Partially
purified pectin lyase produced by the hybrid HZ is able to solubilize
56% of the orange peel solids, whereas addition of endoand
exo-polygalacturonases to the hydrolysis system induces the
solubilization of 92% orange peel. Pectin lyase has been widely
used for the extraction, clarification, and cloud stabilization of fruit
juices, for maceration of plant tissues, for the isolation of protoplast,
and saccharification of biomass. However, potential applications
of pectin lyases extend to the hydrolysis of pectin-rich raw plant
material that have potential applications in newly developed industries,
such as the bioenergetics industry for the production of fuel
ethanol [37], and the pharmaceutical industry for the production of
pectin-derived oligosaccharides which are strong enhancers of the
immune system [38–40], and pectin-derived oligosaccharides with
prebiotic properties [41]. Increasing industrial applications underline
the importance of developing genetically improved strains,
such as the hybrid HZ, with the potential to be exploitable for large
scale production of this enzyme.