Cellulase Production in the Digestive Organs of Reticulitermes speratus, a Native Termite from Milyang, Korea

This study investigated on enzyme production in the digestive organs of the native termite (Reticulitermes speratus) in Milyang, Korea. Four types of major cellulases [EG (endo-1,4-${\beta}$-glucanase), BGL (${\beta}$-glucosidase), CBH (cellobiohydrolase) and BXL (${\beta}$-1,4-xylosidase)] were present in the digestive organs of the termite. The strong enzyme activity for BGL was found from the native termite, and also shown that the enzyme was distributed in the salivary gland, foregut, and hindgut. BXL, which breaks down hemicellulose near the amorphous region, was detected mainly from salivary gland, foregut, and midgut. However, CBH was distributed mainly in the hindgut. Meanwhile, EG which degrades cellulose, was found mainly in the hindgut and salivary glands. These facts indicate that celluases production patterns are differ from different sites compare to the same species found in Japan, suggesting that enzyme production in the digestive organs of termites is changed according to their habitats.