Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 85 (7): 970–2, July 2015/Article Isolation and identification of cellulose demoting symbionts from gut of subterranean termite, Odontotermes obesus D R BAJYA 1 , DEEPIKA ARYA 2 , M RANJITH 3 , M C LAKHARAN 4 and S K RAZA 5 Institute of Pesticides Formulation Technology, Sector 20, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, Haryana 122016 Received: 28 November 2014; Accepted: 5 May 2015 ABSTRACT The study was carried out to isolate and identify the symbionts, viz. cellulose demoting bacteria and fungus in termite gut. The experiment was conducted during (February 2013- July 2013) at biotechnology laboratory, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, Gurgaon (Haryana). Termites are wood eating insects and are among the most important ligno cellulose- digesting insects and possess a variety of symbiotic microorganisms in their gut. Nutrient agar, potato dextrose and Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC) were used to isolate the dry bacterial strain and fungus. The cellulose is demoted in termite gut by the production of cellulase enzyme which is detected by Congo red stain. Colony morphology and staining technique such as Gram’s staining, Congo red staining and oxidase test for bacterial strain gave an idea for the presence of genera Citrobacter and Enterobacter. Aspergillus nidulans has been isolated and identified at division of plant pathology, IARI, New Delhi. These bacteria and fungus were able to assimilate CMC which aid in digestion of cellulose in subterranean termite Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) and this study abetted to understand more about the symbionts associated with digestive mechanism of termites. Key words: Bacteria, Cellulose, Fungi, Identification, Isolation, Odontotermes obesus 1 Officer Incharage (e mail: deva.bajya@gmail.com), 3 JRF (Ph D Scholar), 4 JRF (Ph D Scholar), Division of Bioscience, 5 Director, 2 M Sc Biotechnology Scholar, Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana, Haryana Symbiotic digestion of cellulose is a complex series of events involving both the host and gut symbionts (Ulrich et al. 2004). Enzymes such as endogenous cellulases (endo- b-1, 4-glucanase and b-glucosidase) are excreted from salivary glands or mid-gut, have been identified and characterized in both lower and higher termites (Ohkuma 2003). Host digestive processes mainly take part in foregut and midgut; whereas symbionts digestive processes are focused on hindgut. In higher termites, the digestive activity is distributed on foregut, midgut and hindgut; whereas the digestive activity is more concentrated in the hindgut of lower termites. There are many types of bacteria found in termite gut with different functions and significance. They were hemi-cellulose degrading bacteria (Schafer et al. 1996), lignolytic bacteria (Borji et al. 2003), cellulolytic bacteria (Wenzel et al. 2002), aromatic degrading bacteria (Harazono et al. 2003) and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Frohlich et al. 2007). Staphylococcus and Bacillus sp. are the most abundant bacteria in termite’s gut (Breznak 1982 and Konig 2006). Other different bacteria found in Formosan termite Coptotermes formosanus are Enterobacter and Serratia marcescenes (Adams and 110 Boopathy 2005) and Enterobacter have been used to decolorize azo dyes (Moutaoukki et al. 2004). Desulfovibrio intestinalis was isolated from the hindgut of the lower termite Mastotermes darwiniensis (Jurgen Frohlich et al. 1999) and hemi cellulose degrading bacteria and yeast have also been found (Schafer et al. 1996). Phenol oxidizing laccases have been found from the gut of termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Coy et al. 2010). Bacterial isolates from lower as well as higher termites have been described as aerobes and facultative or strict anaerobes and were predominantly strains of Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides, Enterobacteria and Bacillus. MATERIALS AND METHODS Laboratory studies were carried out to isolate the cellulose demoting bacteria and fungi from termite gut, to identify and screen the cellulose degrading bacteria and to study the morphological and biochemical characteristics of isolated bacterial strains. Termites were collected from the fields of wheat crop at IPFT research farm Gurgaon,during rabi season 2012- 13. Boxes used to trap them were covered with net. Termites were identified as workers of Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) . Termites were surface sterilized with 70% ethanol and then washed in sterile distilled water. Under sterile conditions, the heads were removed and the bodies were crushed with the help of glass rods. The paste obtained