Journal of Neonatal Surgery ISSN(Online): 2226-0439 Vol. 14, Issue 23s (2025) https://www.jneonatalsurg.com pg. 491 Journal of Neonatal Surgery | Year: 2025 | Volume: 14 | Issue: 23s Identification of Novel Cellulolytic Bacterial Strains from Termite Guts for Efficient Biomass Conversion E Julie, Nishi Ann 1 1 Department of Zoology, Providence Women’s College, Kozhikode, Kerala. Email ID: juliee@providencecollegecalicut.ac.in 00Cite this paper as: E Julie, Nishi Ann, (2025) Identification of Novel Cellulolytic Bacterial Strains from Termite Guts for Efficient Biomass Conversion. Journal of Neonatal Surgery, 14 (23s), 491-497. ABSTRACT Termites as eusocial insects, play a vital role in the terrestrial ecosystem by recycling lignocellulosic biomass comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Their ability to efficiently degrade plant material is facilitated by symbiotic microorganisms in their gut, particularly cellulolytic bacteria, which convert cellulose into metabolizable sugars such as glucose. This study focuses on isolating and identifying cellulose-degrading bacteria from the gut of termites belonging to the genus Odontotermes, which are major contributors to litter decomposition. The research involved isolating bacterial strains from termite gut samples and their characterization through standard morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests. The cellulolytic potential of the isolates was evaluated using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) agar plates, and the presence of cellulolytic enzyme activity was further confirmed using molecular techniques. The findings from this study enhance our understanding of termite gut microbiota and their role in lignocellulose degradation, with potential applications in biofuel production, waste management, and industrial enzyme development. Keywords: Biomass, Termites, Cellulolytic bacteria, Odontotermes, lignocellulose 1. INTRODUCTION Termites are eusocial insects that play a crucial role in terrestrial ecosystems by recycling lignocellulosic biomass, which primarily consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin (Breznak & Brune, 1994). As major decomposers of dead plant material, termites contribute significantly to nutrient cycling and soil enrichment. Their efficiency in lignocellulose degradation is attributed to their symbiotic gut microbiota, which hydrolyzes complex plant polymers into simpler sugars that can be metabolized (Hongoh, 2010; Brune, 2014). Studies indicate that termites can decompose 74 –99% of cellulose and 65–87% of hemicellulose from their diet, highlighting their remarkable lignocellulolytic capability (Ohkuma, 2003; Wenzel et al., 2002). The order Isoptera is broadly classified into lower and higher termites. Lower termites primarily rely on a dense population of gut symbionts, including prokaryotic bacteria and eukaryotic protists, to digest cellulose (Brune & Ohkuma, 2011). In contrast, higher termites (Family: Termitidae) lack protists but compensate with an even more diverse bacterial community in their hindgut (Mathew et al., 2002). This microbial ecosystem is structured around syntrophic interactions, where cellulolytic bacteria ferment plant polymers, generating short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, which serves as a primary energy source for the host (Pester & Brune, 2007). Additionally, termite gut microbiota contributes to global biogeochemical processes by participating in carbon and nitrogen cycling (Tayasu et al., 1994; Brune, 2014). 2. ROLE OF GUT BACTERIA IN CELLULOSE DIGESTION The digestion of lignocellulose in termites is facilitated by a combination of endogenous enzymes and microbial cellulases. Termite-derived enzymes, such as endo-β-1,4-glucanase and β-glucosidase, belong to glycosyl hydrolase family 9 (GHF9) and are secreted from salivary glands and the midgut (Tokuda et al., 1997; Ni & Tokuda, 2013). However, in lower termites, a significant portion of cellulose digestion occurs in the hindgut, where unhydrolyzed fibers undergo further microbial processing (Ohkuma, 2003). Gut bacteria play a central role in lignocellulose breakdown by producing a diverse array of cellulolytic enzymes, including endoglucanases, exoglucanases (cellobiohydrolases), and β-glucosidases, which work synergistically to degrade cellulose into fermentable sugars (Tsegaye et al., 2019; Upadhyaya et al., 2012). Cellulolytic bacteria isolated from termite guts predominantly belong to Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria (Watanabe & Tokuda, 2010; Mikaelyan et al., 2015). Among them, Clostridium spp. and Fibrobacter spp. are recognized as highly efficient cellulose degraders due to their ability to produce extensive cellulases and hemicellulases (Liu et al., 2019; Warnecke et al., 2007).