Comparison of Cellulolytic Activities in Clostridium thermocellum and Three Thermophilic, Cellulolytic Anaerobes

Avicelase, carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), and β-glucosidase activities have been compared between Clostridium thermocellum and three extremely thermophilic, cellulolytic anaerobes, isolates TP8, TP11, and KT8. The three isolates were all small, gram-negative staining, oval-ended rods which occurred singly and, at exponential phase, in long chains. They were nonflagellated and no spores were visible. The KT8 and TP11 isolates caused clumping of the cellulose during growth. In all four organisms the CMCase activity paralleled cell growth; however, in C. thermocellum and TP8 the avicelase activity did not increase until early stationary phase. Total CMCase activity in C. thermocellum was significantly higher than in the three isolates; however, avicelase activities were much more comparable among the four organisms. C. thermocellum produced higher levels of ethanol, and all four organisms produced similar concentrations of acetate. The amounts of free and bound CMCase and avicelase activities were investigated. In C. thermocellum and TP8 most of the CMCase and avicelase activities were bound to the cellulose in the medium. In contrast, most of the CMCase activity in TP11 and KT8 was free in the culture supernatant; a significant percentage of avicelase activity was also free. The TP8 isolate was also grown on a defined medium with urea as sole nitrogen source and cellulose serving as the carbon source. Under these conditions the pattern of enzyme production was the same as that in the enriched medium, although the level of that production was considerably reduced.