DISTRIBUTION OF CELLULOSE DEGRADING GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA

Abstract

New methods have been developed for the enrichment, purification and characterization of cellulose degrading bacteria from brackish, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. The methods involve the use of bacterial cellulose mats as cellulosic substrates for rapid identification and purification of these organisms. A preliminary survey of 53 isolates of mesophilic aerobic and facultatively anaerobic organisms reveals the following generalizations. (1) All the organisms were Gram-negative and no flagellates were found. (2) From any one habitat the cellulose degraders form tight clusters of related types. (3) The brackish samples from a salt marsh produced two novels types of myxobacteria, tentatively allocated to Polyangium. (4) From freshwater samples, the dominant types were cytophagas (5) An interesting group of organisms capable of degrading cellulose, agar and gelatin was discovered.