ABSTRACT
220Actinomycetes are a group of gram positive soil microbes, widely known as producers of various extracellular enzymes such as peptidase, ligninase, xylanase, and amylase. These enzymes have gained increased attention because of their widespread applications in several industries. In an attempt to discover new cellulase producing strains, isolates from diverse ecological habitats were subjected to primary screening. The diameter of the zones of hydrolysis ranged from 17–33 mm in the case of cellulose and 6–13 mm in the case of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Colonies 194, 51, and 157 representing different habitats and showing substantial zones of clearance were selected for secondary screening. The crude extract was partially purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis followed by concentration. The enzyme activity in crude and in partially purified samples was determined. The activity ranged from 5.4–12.13 IU/ml/min (in crude) and 12.04–21.5 IU/ml/min (in partially purified). Colony 194 showing maximum cellulase activity was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) profiling. Phenotypic and taxonomic characterization of selected isolates was done by polyphasic approach. It was confirmed from 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses that the isolates belonged to the genus Streptomyces.
