Screening of fermentative symbiotic microorganisms from digestive tract of Macrotermes subhyalinus and Macrotermes bellicosus

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/04/2013
Views (918)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Screening of fermentative symbiotic microorganisms from digestive tract of Macrotermes subhyalinus and Macrotermes bellicosus

D.T. Yoro, NK Kouassi, S. Dabonné, LP Kouamé, R. Koffi-Nevry
Int. J. Biosci. 3(4), 27-35, April 2013.
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2013; The Author(s).
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

Diversity of fermentative microorganisms in the digestive tract of Macrotermes bellicosus and Macrotermes subhyalinus, two species of tropical termites was investigated. Morphological, phenotypic and biochemical parameters were used for this preliminary study. Positive Gram bacteria were revealed on Man Rogosa Sharpe agar MRS and Chalmers agar while sabouraud chloramphenicol agar showed yeasts. Cultural techniques added to the use of API 50 CHL, had allowed the identification of lactic acid bacteria strains of the genera Lactobacillus, Lactococcus and Pediococcus. The API 20 CAUX revealed presence Candida and Cryptococcus only for M. bellicosus worker. These first results highlight the presence of a variety of fermentative microorganisms in the midgut of the two termites.

Abo-Khatwa N, 1978. Cellulose of fungus growing termites: a new hypothesis on its origin. Experientia 34, 559-560.

Anderson JM, Knight D, Elliott P. 1991. Effects of invertebrates on soil properties and processes. In: Veeresh G. K. Rajagopal D, Viraktamath C.A. (Eds.). Advances in Management and Conservation of soil. Oxford and IBH Pub. Co. New Delhi, p. 437-484.

Anklin-Mühlemann R, Bignell DE, Veiver PC, Leuthold RH, Slaytor M. 1995. Morphological, microbiological and biochemical studies of the gut flora in the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes subhyalinus. Journal of Insect Physiolog 41, 929-940.

Bachelier G. 1978. La faune des sols, son écologie et son action. OSTROM Bondy Initiations, documentations techniques, p. 38, 391.

Bahiru B, Mehari T, Ashenafi M. 2006. Yeast and lactic acid flora of tej, an indigenous Ethiopians honey wine: Variation within and between production units. Food Microbiology 23, 277-282.

Bignell DE, Eggleton P. 2000. Termites in ecosystems. In : Termites : Evolution, sociality, symbioses and ecology. Abe T, Bignell DE et Higashi M (eds), Kluwer Acad. Publ p. 363-387.

Bignell DE, Eggleton, P. 1998. Termites In: Calow, P. (ed) Encyclopedia of ecology and environmental management. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, p. 744-746.

Bignell DE, Oskarsson H, Anderson JM. 1980. Specialization of the hingut wall for the attachement of symbiotic microorganisms, in a termite Procubetermes aburiensis (Isoptera: Termitidae. Termitinae). Zoomorphology 96, 103-112.

Boyer P. 1973. Action de certains termites constructeurs sur l’évolution des sols tropicaux. Annal. Sciences. Naturels. Zoo Paris 15, 329-498.

Brauman A, Bignell DE, Tayasu I. 2000. Soil-feeding termites : biology, microbial associations and digestive mechanisms, p. 233-259.

Brauman A, Dore J, Eggleton P, Bignell D, Breznak JA, Kane MD. 2001. Molecular phylogenetic profiling of prokaryotic communities in guts of termites with different feeding habits. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. Ecol 35, 27-36.

Conway, PL. 1995. Microbioal ecology of the human large intestine. In Gibson, G.R. 243-265.

De Man JC, Rogosa M, Sharpe ME. 1960. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 23, 130-137.

Graber JR, Leadbetter JR, Breznak A. 2004. Description of Treponema azotonutricium and Treponema primitia sp. nov., the first spirochetes isolated from termite guts. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70, 1315-1320.

Higashiguchi DT, Hussenede C, Grace JK, Berestecky JM. 2006. Pilibacter termitis gen. nov., Sp. nov., a lactic acid bacterium from the hindgut of the Formosan subterranean termite (Captotermes formosanus) International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbilogy 56, 15-20.

Kambhampati S, Eggleton P. 2000. Phylogenetics and taxonomy.In: Abe, T., Bignell, D.E. & Higashi, M., (eds.). Termites: Evolution, Sociality, Symbiosis, Ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers. 1-23.

Kostinek M, Specht I, Edward VA, Schillinger U, Hertel C, Holzapfel WH, franz CMA. P. 2005. Diversity and technological proprieties of predominant lactic acid bacteria from fermented cassava used for the preparation of Gari, a traditional African food. Systematic and Applied Microbiology 28, 927-540.

Kuhnigk T, Branke J, Krekeler D, Cypionka H, König H. 1996. A feasible role of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the termite gut. Systematic and Applied Microbiology 19, 139-149.

Lavelle  P.  et  Spain  A.V.  2001.  Soil  ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, p. 654 .

Lavelle P, Bignell DE, Lepage M, Wolters V, Roger P, Ineson P, Heal W, Dillion S. 1997. Soil function in a changing world: the role of invertebrate ecosystem ingeneers. European Journal of Soil Biology 33, 159-193.

Mackenzie LM. Muigai AT, Osir E.O., Lwande W, Keller M, Toledo G, Boga I.H. 2007. Bacterial diversity in the intestinal tract of the fungus-cultivating termite Macrotermes michaelseni (Sjöstedt). African Journal of Biotechnology 6(6), 658-667.

Matoub M, 1993. La symbiose termite-champignon chez Macrotermes bellicosus (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae). Thèse d’Université Paris XII Val de Marne Paris . 199p. pathology. CRC Press, p. 1-24.

Ricciardi A, Parente E, Piraino, P, Paraggio M, Romano P. 2005. Phenotypic characterization of lactic acid bacteria from sourdoughs for Altamura bread produced in Apulia (southern Italy). Int. J; microbial 98, 63-72.

Rouland C, Lenoir-Labe F. 1998. Microflore intestinale symbiotique des insectes xylophages: Mythe ou réalité. Cahiers agricultures 7, 37-47.

Rouland C. 1986. Contribution à l’étude des osidases digestives de plusieurs espèces de termites afrcains. Thèse d’Université paris XII Val- de Marne paris, p. 210.

Rouland C. 1994. Tropical. Courier de l’environnement, l’INRA n°23. 678p.

Wenzel MI, Schonig M, Berchtold P, Kampfer H, Konig G. 2002. Aerobic and facultatively anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria from the gut of the termite Zootermopsis angusticollis Zootermopsis angusticollis. Journal of Applied Microbiology 92, 32-40.

Wood TG, Sands WA. 1978. The role of termites in ecosystem. In : Brian M. V. (Eds) Production Ecology of ants and termites. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p. 245-292.

Related Articles

Intra-population genetic diversity modeling of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) population in Niger

Adamou Ibrahim Maman Laouali*, Zango Oumarou, Alio Moussa Abdourazak, Rafiou Abdoulaye, Idi Saidou Sani, Idi Garba Nana Mariama, Bakasso Yacoubou, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 62-70, September 2026.

Biocontrol potential of indigenous Trichoderma isolates against Fusarium wilt of cotton in Tanzania: In vitro screening and screen-house validation

Fauzia Khalid Mpiganzila*, Alfonce Leonard, Lidia Munuo, Ernest Mbega, Agatha Aloyce, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 44-61, September 2026.

In vitro study of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihyperglycemic activity of medicinal plants

T. K. Nishath*, P. Mathavi, V. Ambikapathy, P. Prakash, A. Panneerselvam, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 32-43, September 2026.

Association between the IL13 rs1800925 (-1112C/T) polymorphism and Schistosoma mansoni infection intensity in a population from western Côte d’Ivoire

Bernardin Ahouty Ahouty*, Abla Edwige Sokouri, Georges Bohoussou Kassi, Innocent Allépo Abé, Martial Kassi N’djetchi, Yaya Ouangbo Ouattara, Ornella Karmelle Lydia Dago, Mathurin Yao Koffi, Thomas Konan Konan, Mathurin N’Goran Koffi, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 20-31, September 2026.

Abattoir-based surveillance reveals geographic clustering and risk factors for bovine tuberculosis in Tanzania

Yohana Siyajali Anatory*, Beatus Lyimo, Blandina T. Mmbaga, Joram Buza, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 11-19, September 2026.

In vitro assessment of the anticancer activity of quinaldic acid against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7)

N. Medhavi, S. M. Sivasankaran, K. Selvakumar, K. Harish, S. Manoharan*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 1-10, September 2026.

In silico molecular docking analysis of quinaldic acid against cancer related targets

N. Medhavi, K. Harish, S. M. Sivasankaran, K. Selvakumar, B. Vidhyambigai, S. Manoharan*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 129-139, August 2026.

First records of Macrogyrodactylus clarii and six species of Quadriacanthus (Monogenea) infecting Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) across four localities in Senegal

Arfang Diamanka*, Abdou Toure, Sikhou Drame, Cheikh Diop, Ngor Faye, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 118-128, August 2026.