Characterization of New Strains of Clostridium thermocellum and the celA Gene from a Strain

Abstract

Two strains of thermophilic cellulolytic anaerobes, Nos. 138 and 183, were isolated from soil and compost, respectively, and identified as Clostridium thermocellum, based on their morphological, physiological and genetic characteristics. These two isolates decomposed cellulose more efficiently than the type strain, C. thermocellum ATCC 27405. The celA gene of strain No. 138 was cloned onto vector plasmid pBR322 and the hybrid plasmids obtained were introduced into Escherichia coli cells. The cleavage map of the cloned celA gene and the extent of CM-cellulase expression of the cloned gene in E. coli were the same as those of the celA gene from ATCC 27405.