Assessment and Characterization of Xylanolytic Bacteria Isolated from the Gut of Microtermes Obesi for Biomass Pretreatment

Abstract The aim of current research was to examine the potential for the production of hemicelluloses degrading enzymes from bacteria harbor in termite gut. The research was also focused on the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (Corn stover, rice straw and cotton stalk) into fermentable sugars by using enzymes from the bacterial isolates. The bacterial isolates from termite gut were screened for their ability to degrade xylan that is the major constituent of hemicelluloses. Two bacterial isolates were chosen and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Both isolates TGB9 and TGB10 belong to Bacillus geneus. The isolates have shown higher xylan degrading activity at 50 oC and optimum pH was 6.0. Xylanases from isolate TGB9 and TGB10 were utilized for sccharification of agricultural substrates (stover, rice straw and cotton stalk). As a result higher contents of reducing sugars were observed from corn stover. Xylanases from isolate TGB9 produced higher yields of reducing sugar than isolate TGB10. A comparative study was also performed among chemical pretreatment and xylanases from bacterial isolates. For this purpose agricultural substrates were also treated with H2SO4 and NaOH. Xylanases produced by TGB9 and TGB10 released higher content of sugar from agricultural substrates than chemical pretreatments. So it is concluded that termite gut have bacteria that can hydrolyze hemicelluloses more efficiently than chemicals.