Differences in cellulase activity among different castes of Odontotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Termitidae) and the symbiotic fungus Termitomyces albuminosus

Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) is a fungus-growing higher termite. The symbiotic fungus Termitomyces albuminosus plays an important role in the degradation of lignocellulose ingested by the termites. The activities of cellulase in O. formosanus and its symbiotic fungus T albuminosus were compared in this study. The results indicated that the worker termites, the soldier termites and the symbiotic fungus showed different levels of cellulase activity. The workers had the highest activities of endo-beta-1, 4-Glucanase and beta-Glucosidase, and there was no significant difference in the activities of endo-beta-1, 4-Glucanase and beta-Glucosidase between the symbiotic fungus and the soldier termites. The results provide new information for explaining the role of T albuminosus in the food digestion of O. formosanus.