Abstract

                                Endophytes associated with C4 perennial grasses are a treasure trove of biocatalysts and have emerged as a viable option for biofuel production. Studies were conducted to investigate the production of extracellular cellulases and xylanases from newly isolated Bacillus tequilensis BT5 and Alcaligenes faecalis B12 from perennial grass (Neyraudia reynaudiana L.).The total cellulase activity (FPase) for B. tequilensis BT5 and A. faecalis B12 were recorded as 0.61 and 0.34 FPU.ml-1 at 28 h and 32 h, respectively. Similarly, β- glucosidase, carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) and exoglucanase activities of BT5 and B12 were 1.12 and 0.94 U.ml-1; 0.92 and 0.86 U.ml-1 ; 1.98 and 1.58 U.ml-1, respectively. Xylanase activities of 1.58 U.ml-1and 1.22 U.ml-1 at 28 h and 36 h for B. tequilensis BT5 and A. faecalis B12, respectively were also recorded. Furthermore, the presence of cellulases and xylanases genes was confirmed by PCR screening using the gene-specific primers. This study revealed that the cellulases and xylanases from endophytic bacteria from perennial grasses could serve as a natural reservoir for biomass deconstruction and production of cellulose derived commodities.

Key words : Perennial grass, Neyraudia reynaudiana, Endophytic bacteria, Glycosyl hydrolases, Fermentation.