CLOSTRIDIUM-TERMITIDIS SP-NOV, A CELLULOLYTIC BACTERIUM FROM THE GUT OF THE WOOD-FEEDING TERMITE, NASUTITERMES-LUJAE

An anaerobic, mesophilic, spore-forming, cellulolytic bacterium was isolated from the gut of a wood-feeding termite, Nasutitermes lujae. The cells were Gram-positive rods, motile by peritrichous flagella, and formed oval terminal spores which swelled the cells. The deep colonies were circular, punctiform and slightly yellow; the surface colonies spread rapidly and were diffuse. Cellulose, cellobiose, glucose, fructose, galactose, lactose, mannose, ribose, sorbose, xylose, maltose, melibiose, mannitol and sorbitol served as carbon source; glycerol was poorly used. The fermentation products were acetate, ethanol, H-2, CO2. Optimal growth occurred it 37-degrees-C and at pH 7.5. The deoxyribonucleic acid composition was 39.2 mol% guanine plus cytosine. The name Clostridium termitidis sp.nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain CT1112 (= DSM 5398).