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Isolation, Characterization and Practical Significance of Cellulose Degrading Bacteria from the Gut Wall of Two Ecologically Distinct Earthworms


Affiliations
1 Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI, 96822, United States
2 Division of Life Sciences, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, DST (GoI), Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati 781 035, India
3 School of Natural Resource Management, College of Post Graduate Studies, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Umiam 793 103, India
 

This study has determined the relationship of cultur-able community of cellulose degrading bacteria (CDB) within the gut walls of two habitat-specific earthworm species, epigeic (compost heap inhabitant) earthworm, Perionyx excavatus (PE) and an endogeic (submerged rice field inhabitant), Glyphidrilus spelaeotes (GS) and their functional significance. The 16Sr RNA analysis for the isolated CDB from two ecologically distinct earthworms clearly showed the presence of distinct communities of CDB in their gut ecosystem. Enzymatic assay of cellulase for the isolated CDB showed sig-nificantly higher cellulase activity compared to the reference strain M-23, Cellulomonas cellulans (P < 0.01, one-way ANOVA). The functional signifi-cance of such high cellulase activity was also demon-strated by the enhancement of decomposition of rice straw and fresh vegetation biomass in the presence of native microbiota community. The growth rate of CDB of epigeic PE was approximately twice slower than that of CDBs of endogeic GS. The CDB of PE exhibited 12 polymorphs of esterase isozyme as against 4 polymorphs for CDB of GS. The present study emphasizes the functionally significant relation-ship of gut wall CDB and host earthworm for sustaining efficient C-cycling in agroecosystems.

Keywords

Cellulase Activity, Easterase Isozyme, Earthworm–Microorganism Interactions, Glyphidrilus spelaeotes, Intestinal Microbiology, Soil Fauna.
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  • Isolation, Characterization and Practical Significance of Cellulose Degrading Bacteria from the Gut Wall of Two Ecologically Distinct Earthworms

Abstract Views: 319  |  PDF Views: 87

Authors

Kishore K. Dey
Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI, 96822, United States
Narayan C. Talukdar
Division of Life Sciences, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, DST (GoI), Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati 781 035, India
Fenella M. W. Nongkhlaw
School of Natural Resource Management, College of Post Graduate Studies, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Umiam 793 103, India
Dwipendra Thakuria
School of Natural Resource Management, College of Post Graduate Studies, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Umiam 793 103, India

Abstract


This study has determined the relationship of cultur-able community of cellulose degrading bacteria (CDB) within the gut walls of two habitat-specific earthworm species, epigeic (compost heap inhabitant) earthworm, Perionyx excavatus (PE) and an endogeic (submerged rice field inhabitant), Glyphidrilus spelaeotes (GS) and their functional significance. The 16Sr RNA analysis for the isolated CDB from two ecologically distinct earthworms clearly showed the presence of distinct communities of CDB in their gut ecosystem. Enzymatic assay of cellulase for the isolated CDB showed sig-nificantly higher cellulase activity compared to the reference strain M-23, Cellulomonas cellulans (P < 0.01, one-way ANOVA). The functional signifi-cance of such high cellulase activity was also demon-strated by the enhancement of decomposition of rice straw and fresh vegetation biomass in the presence of native microbiota community. The growth rate of CDB of epigeic PE was approximately twice slower than that of CDBs of endogeic GS. The CDB of PE exhibited 12 polymorphs of esterase isozyme as against 4 polymorphs for CDB of GS. The present study emphasizes the functionally significant relation-ship of gut wall CDB and host earthworm for sustaining efficient C-cycling in agroecosystems.

Keywords


Cellulase Activity, Easterase Isozyme, Earthworm–Microorganism Interactions, Glyphidrilus spelaeotes, Intestinal Microbiology, Soil Fauna.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi07%2F1474-1484