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Study of Cellulose-Destroying Activity of Actinobacteria Associated with Ants

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Abstract—

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.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to anonymous reviewers for valuable advice and assistance in preparing the manuscript.

Funding

The work was performed without the support of state or private funds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Soil Biology, Department of Soil Science, Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia

    Yu. V. Zakalyukina & A. R. Zaytsev

  2. Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia

    M. V. Biryukov

Authors
  1. Yu. V. Zakalyukina
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  2. A. R. Zaytsev
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  3. M. V. Biryukov
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Correspondence to Yu. V. Zakalyukina.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests. This article does not contain any studies involving animals or human participants performed by any of the authors.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Zakalyukina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8943-5761

Zaytsev ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0642-4069

Biryukov ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5765-1221

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Translated by A. Bulaev

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Zakalyukina, Y.V., Zaytsev, A.R. & Biryukov, M.V. Study of Cellulose-Destroying Activity of Actinobacteria Associated with Ants. Moscow Univ. Biol.Sci. Bull. 76, 20–27 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0096392521010065

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0096392521010065

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