Study of Cellulose-Destroying Activity of Actinobacteria Associated with Ants

Among actinobacteria associated with ants Camponotus vagus, Formica cunicularia, and Lasius niger, their nests, and intact soils, cellulolytic activity was screened in medium with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) using Congo Red dye. Assessment of culture fluids of tested strains on the CMC-plates and comparing them with solutions of the commercial cellulase preparation allowed for quantifying their activity. Data were confirmed by evaluating endo-1,4-glucanase activity using the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) method. The three most active strains of actinobacteria were isolated from ants Camponotus vagus, Lasius niger, and Formica cunicularia and belonged to the genus Streptomyces. The 16S rDNA sequences of the strains Streptomyces sp. Fu2, Streptomyces sp. Ln9, and Streptomyces sp. Pe3 were deposited in the GenBank under accession numbers MN227506, MN227508, and MG 705182, respectively. Specific endoglucanase and β-glucosidase activity of these strains corresponded to that of cellulose- and lignin-destroying streptomycetes described in the literature.