ARCHIVES
VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 (2026)
Isolation and biochemical characterization of termite gut bacteria from Alagar Hills Reserve Forest, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu
Authors
Karuppusamy Sasikala, N Nagarajan, S Krishnamoorthy, Santhanam Selvaraj
Abstract
Termites play a vital role in cellulose
degradation through their symbiotic gut microorganisms, particularly bacteria.
The present study aimed to isolate and characterize gut bacteria from Cryptotermes
sp. collected from Alagar Hills Reserve Forest, Tamil Nadu. Gut bacterial
isolates were cultured on nutrient agar, and four distinct bacterial strains
were obtained. Growth analysis based on optical density measurements at 480 nm
revealed that strain-2 exhibited the highest growth rate among the isolates.
Colony morphology, including color, shape, elevation, margin, and size, was
recorded, and all isolates were found to be motile. Gram staining showed that
strains 1, 2, and 4 were Gram-positive bacilli, whereas strain 3 was a
Gram-negative rod. Biochemical characterization indicated positive reactions
for Methyl Red–Voges Proskauer (MR-VP), oxidase, and urease tests in all four
strains, while all were negative for starch hydrolysis. Catalase activity was positive
in strains 1, 3, and 4 but negative in strain 2. The study demonstrates the
presence of diverse bacterial communities in the gut of Cryptotermes
sp., comprising three Gram-positive and one Gram-negative bacterium,
highlighting their potential role in termite digestion and cellulose
degradation.
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Pages:86-89
How to cite this article:
Karuppusamy Sasikala, N Nagarajan, S Krishnamoorthy, Santhanam Selvaraj "Isolation and biochemical characterization of termite gut bacteria from Alagar Hills Reserve Forest, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 11, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 86-89
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