著者

山岡 郁雄 長谷 芳美

出版者

社団法人日本動物学会

雑誌

動物学雑誌 (ISSN:00445118)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.84, no.1, pp.23-29, 1975-03-25

被引用文献数

8

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Cellulase activities of the salivary gland and three parts of the alimentary tract (foregut, midgut, and hindgut; each containing the contents) in the worker of the termite were assayed by the reducing sugar estimation method using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), filter paper, and cotton as substrate. In the case of the hindgut, the supernatant and the protozoan fraction were obtained by the centrifugation of the hindgut and the activities were assayed. The cellulase activity as affected by starvation was also investigated. The result suggested at least two kinds of cellulase to be distributed in the digestive system. One, which may be regarded as CMcellulase hydrolyzing CMC, is produced by the salivary gland and incorporated into protozoan cells together with food (cellulose). The other, catalyzing the degradation of the native cellulose such as filter paper or cotton, is produced by the protozoan. Thus, the cellulolytic process occurring in the protozoan cell is seemingly such that the cellulose is degraded at first by the cellulase of protozoan own producing, and hydrolyzed thereafter by the CMcellulase.