Research Article Evaluating the Biodeterioration Enzymatic Activities of Fungal Contamination Isolated from Some Ancient Yemeni Mummies Preserved in the National Museum Khalid Mohammed Naji, 1 Qais Yusuf M. Abdullah, 2 Aida Qaseem M. AL-Zaqri, 3 and Saeed M. Alghalibi 2 1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen 2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen 3 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Art, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen Correspondence should be addressed to Khalid Mohammed Naji; khalid.m.naji@gmail.com Received 29 July 2014; Revised 25 September 2014; Accepted 16 October 2014; Published 13 November 2014 Academic Editor: Saad Tayyab Copyright © 2014 Khalid Mohammed Naji et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Sophisticated mummifcation using chemical preservation was prevalent in ancient Yemeni civilization as noted in the 4th century B.C. mummies of the National Museum of Yemen, Sana’a, used in this study. Five of these mummies were used to evaluate hydrolytic enzymes produced as a result of fungal contamination. Forty-seven fungal species were isolated, thereby refecting a high degree of contamination which may have resulted from the poor ventilation and preservation system. Aspergillus was the most common genus isolated (48.9%). Fifeen isolates exhibited ability to produce cellulase (EC; 3.2.1.4), Aspergillus candidus being the highest cellulose- producer. Pectin lyase (PL, EC; 4.2.2.2) and pectin methyl esterase (PME, EC; 3.1.1.11) were produced by Trichoderma hamatum, whereas chitinase (EC; 3.2.1.14) was produced by Aspergillus niger. Protease activity was noted by only Cladosporium herbarum. Te higher activities of these fungal hydrolytic enzymes represent the major threats of biodeterioration including deteriorating linen bandages as well as the mummy bodies. Terefore, it is recommended to improve the preservation system of the mummies at the National Museum to minimize the contamination up to the lowest level and protect the mummies from biodeterioration. 1. Introduction Human mummies are extremely susceptible to damage from environmental factors [1]. Tere are a number of abiotic and biotic factors, such as pollution, light, humidity, tempera- ture, microorganisms, and insects, that have deteriorating efects on museum materials [2]. Te most serious damage on mummies occurs by microorganisms such as bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi [1, 3, 4]. In an indoor environment, fungi are the most hazardous microorganisms responsible for the biocontamination of museum collections. Unlike bacteria whose growth in muse- ums is limited by their need for water, fungi are able to grow at relatively low levels of temperature and humidity such as those usually maintained in the museums [5, 6]. Even in quite harsh conditions including dryness and low temperature, fungal spores are able to survive for a long time [7]. Fungi are usually present in display and storage conditions of museums [8, 9]. Fungal degradation is one of the highest risk factors for deterioration of ancient mummies [10, 11]. Te deterioration by fungi seems to be a predominant feature in the museums of many countries all over the world [8, 12]. Fungi excrete enzymes that digest organic matter, thereby altering and weakening those materials. In addition, many molds contain colored substances that can cause stains and spots on textiles and decrease the strength of the fabric. Many fungi can be dangerous to people and in some cases pose a major health hazard and cause zoonotic superfcial infections as a consequence of invading keratinized tissues of skin, hair, and nails [13, 14]. Fungal biodeterioration results in a change in the quality or value of a material and makes it less functional in uti- lization terms. A battery of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes Hindawi Publishing Corporation Biochemistry Research International Volume 2014, Article ID 481508, 9 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/481508