The aim of this work was to evaluate the biochemical features of the white-rot fungi Pycnoporus sanguineus cellulolytic complex and its utilization to sugarcane bagasse hydrolysis. When cultivated under submerged fermentation using corn cobs as carbon source, P. sanguineus produced high FPase, endoglucanase, beta-glucosidase, xylanase, mannanase, alpha-galactosidase, alpha-arabinofuranosidase, and polygalacturonase activities. Cellulase activities were characterized in relation to pH and temperature. beta-Glucosidase and FPase activities were higher at 55 degrees C, pH 4.5, and endoglucanase activity was higher at 60 degrees C, in a pH range of 3.5-4.0. All cellulase activities were highly stable at 40 and 50 degrees C through 48 h of pre-incubation. Crude enzymatic extract from P. sanguineus was applied in a saccharification experiment using acid-treated and alkali-treated sugarcane bagasse as substrate, and the hydrolysis yields were compared to that obtained by a commercial cellulase preparation. Reducing sugar yields of 60.4% and 64.0% were reached when alkali-treated bagasse was hydrolyzed by P. sanguineus extract and commercial cellulase, respectively. Considering the glucose production, it was observed that P. sanguineus extract and commercial cellulase ensured yields of 22.6% and 36.5%, respectively. The saccharification of acid-treated bagasse was lower than that of alkali-treated bagasse regardless of the cellulolytic extract. The present work showed that P. sanguineus has a great potential as an enzyme producer for biomass saccharification.