THE SCREENING OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION OF CELLULOLYTIC FUNGI AND BACTERIA FROM TERMITES GUT AND TERMITES MOUND

THE SCREENING OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION OF CELLULOLYTIC FUNGI AND BACTERIA FROM TERMITES GUT AND TERMITES MOUND

SOORYA MOL K.M, Mallikarjuna Swami, Bibishna Venugopal, Minnu Merson

DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY

MES MK Mackar Pillay College for Advanced Studies, Edathala

Under the guidance of

DR. SAJEEV

CHIEF SECIENTIST

DEPARTMENT OF FOREST ENTOMOLOGY FOREST HEALTH DIVISION

KSCSTE - KERALA FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE PEECHI – 680 653, THRISSUR, KERALA

ABSTRACT
Termites are important in the Ecological Ecosystem. They consume and recycle wood, leaf and dung. Termites are usually small or medium sized whitish insect. In this study four different bacteria and seven different fungi isolates were obtained from the gut of the termites. These strains were grown on Carboxymethyl Cellulose Agar medium. One bacteria and one fungus showed significant cellulolytic activity identified by a Congo red assay which gives clear zone. According to the Biochemical tests and sequencing analysis, these isolates were identified as bacteria – Bacillus tropicus and fungi – Malassezia globosa. The bacteria Bacillus tropicus has antimicrobial property against clinical sample and the fungus Malassezia globosa has antimicrobial property against clinical sample and antifungal property against plant pathogenic fungi Clonostachy bysicola. The fungus Malazessia globosa isolates from termites is similar to the fungus that isolated from the   termite mound.