Effect of antibiotics treatment of Coptotermes formosanus on cellulase secretion

Studies of physical and biochemical associations among termites, flagellates and prokaryotes are very important in understanding the dual cellulolitic systems of lower termites. The effect of antibiotics on cellulase secretions and on the structure of the symbiotic intestinal microbial community of Coptotermes formosanus was studied. It was apparent that inhibition of the protists symbiotic bacterial community could lead to the regular changes in secretion of cellulases secretion of C. formosanus. Pseudotrichonympha grassii, a major kind of intestinal protist, played an important role in the intestinal symbiotic cellulolitic system. We supposed antibiotic could induce the growth of P. grassii via a function of then symbiotic bacteria. Furthermore, the results of the present study suggest that endo-β-1, 4-glucanase and exo-β-1, 4-cellobiohydrolase had more associated interactions between every two among the three kinds of cellulase. The findings above led us to hypothesize that intestinal symbiotic prokaryotes possess a stress-response pathway via energy metabolism to connect the dual cellulolitic system of C. formosanus.